feelings for you
by patriots12
Summary: Gwen finally expresses her feelings for Ben, question is how will Ben react? BxG
1. Chapter 1

Feelings for you (a Ben 10 fanfic)

Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10…

Chapter 1: Awkward moments

Grandpa Max is currently filling the RV with gas at a gas station; Ben and Gwen are wrestling outside.

"Get off me, dweeb!" Gwen exclaimed as she tossed Ben off the ground.

"You're done for, Gwen!" Ben responded as he grabbed Gwen and pins her to the ground.

Gwen tries to get free but is stuck under Ben's weight; she manages to say "Get off me…" Gwen replies but she accidently stares at Ben 'oh my god, he's really cute' she thought 'why am I thinking about Ben like this?' unless I'm in love with my own cousin!'

"Gwen?" Ben asked

"Huh?"

"Why were you staring at me like that?" Ben says as he starts to blush.

"No I wasn't." Gwen replies, blushing a bit.

"Okay, that's enough." Ben tells Gwen once offering his hand once he's up.

"O-Okay." Gwen blushes as Ben pulls her up.

Meanwhile…

Once the RV is filled with gas, "Kids, time to get back in the RV!" Grandpa Max calls out.

Once everyone is back in the RV, Ben is on his bunk while Gwen is in the shower.

Ben is thinking 'I think Gwen likes me' Ben thought 'but we're cousins, can that really happen?'

Meanwhile in the shower…

'I like Ben' Gwen thought 'No, I really like him' Gwen comes out of the shower wearing a red robe and looks at Ben.

"I need to tell you something." she says

"Gwen, tell me." Ben replies

"Ben, I"-

The RV starts driving out of control, everybody hears a lighting bolt whizzing by the rustbucket.

"What was that?!" Ben demanded

"Hang on tight!" Max says as he's driving

"Why?" Ben asks

Max looks in the mirror and sees the answer "Charmcaster is using a spell to use lighting to attack us." Max explained

"That's it, going hero." Ben says while choosing Fourarms.

"Ben I"- Gwen pleads with Ben.

Ben transforms to Fourarms, "It's about time to stop her."

"Ben, be careful" Max warns Ben "it looks like Charmcaster has gotten stronger."

"Don't worry, I will."

End of chapter 1

Read and review, this my first fanfic so here are some questions

Do you Gwen will ever tell him?

How strong do you think Charmcaster has become?

How will Ben respond to Gwen's message?

Chapter 2 should be up soon, don't mind if it's a little long.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: confessions

Ben as Fourarms closes the RV door, and sees Charmcaster on a cliff chanting a spell for her to control lighting.

Fourarms tries to attack Charmcaster, but she sees him coming and says"Let's see how much stronger I've become." She uses the lighting and attacks Ben causing him to fall to the ground with a thud.

Meanwhile…

Gwen changes from her robe to a blue t-shirt and jeans and says "Grandpa, I hope Ben is okay."

"I wouldn't worry, he'll do fine." Max replies.

Back to the action…

"Ouch, she's definitely stronger" Ben says "But I'll beat her." Fourarms goes and attacks Charmcaster and hit his mark.

"Oh, you're definitely finished!" Says yells using the lighting to attack again but Fourarms dodges it.

"You're toast!" he exclaimed but Charmcaster tells him "Look again."

"Huh?"

The lighting came around and shocks Fourarms right though the forest.

"Ouch, that's going to hurt tomorrow." Fourarms expresses but he sees Charmcatser just sitting there about six inches away.

"You're finished." She says, beginning to shoot lighting at him.

Fourarms has no choice but to dodge every lighting bolt before reaching the end of the cliff, he stops six inches before getting there.

"You're permanently finished!" she says, she tries to hit Fourarms again with a lighting bolt but hits the bridge of the cliff.

"Oh boy" he expresses, but now each one of them tries to slam the other into the ground past the freeway.

Back to Gwen and Grandpa…

Grandpa Max is driving when they hear a loud thud and boulders falling.

"What was that?!" Gwen asked Grandpa

"It's the mountain, it's breaking apart." Max replies.

"I hope Ben is okay."

"I know he will be."

Back to the fight…

Ben and Chramcaster both fall into the ground off the freeway, police sirens can be heard and Charmcaster immediately surrenders.

Ben wakes up in a dent of the crash, he says "Man that hurt." He exclaims in pain.

Ben tries to get out of the ditch but collapses.

Meanwhile at the ground…

"Gwen, you'll go right I'll go left." Max replies 'Were going to need to hurry' he thought 'almost 9pm.'

"Kay grandpa" Gwen replies.

Grandpa looks left but sees nothing so far, meanwhile Gwen sees some white in the ditch and decides to go closer.

Gwen's face goes pale when she finds Ben lying down in the ditch.

"Grandpa, I found him!" she exclaimed

"On my way!" Max replies

Max arrives next to Gwen when she finds Ben.

"Is he breathing?" Gwen asks with concern in her voice.

After examining Ben, Max replies "He's unconscious, but he's alive."

"Can he hear us?"

"I don't think so." Max says "Let's go back to the RV."

"Kay" Gwen replies.

Back in the RV Gwen looks at Ben's unmoving body, and starts bursting tears

"Ben!" she says while crying

"Don't worry Gwen, he'll do fine." Max says trying to comfort Gwen.

"How do you know?" Gwen says while crying

"Ben's unique, that's how I know."

"Okay."

"Ben if you can hear me, please come back." She pleads while crying.

In Ben's mind…

"Gwen."

"Huh? She says

"Turn around."

Gwen turns around and starts to see Ben fingers move, she gasps.

Ben slowly starts to wake up and sees Gwen crying.

"Gwen, you okay?" he remarks.

"Ben!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly while crying.

Ben is startled, but hugs Gwen back.

'I can't let her worry about me anymore' Ben thought 'she sees a lot in me which is strange.'

'I can't let him go' Gwen thought 'Never again.'

"Gwen, you shouldn't be crying." He says while wiping Gwen's tears.

"I was worried about you." Gwen replies

"Why were you worried in the first place?"

"Ben, I need to tell you something."

"Gwen, you can tell me." He says showing his soft side.

"Ben, it may me hard for me to-"

"Just tell me Gwen, you can trust me." He says while cutting her off.

"Ben, I love you."

"Gwen, I've been hiding this for a while and I love you too." He replies.

"Oh, Ben." Gwen says, she leads closer to Ben.

"Gwen, what are you doing?" He says with uneasiness

"Expressing my love." She replies as she leans closer to kiss him.

'Wow, so this is what it's really like to kiss a girl' Ben thought 'oh well' as they kiss passionately for at least ten minutes until they hear Max say

"Kids, we're here!" Max says

End of chapter 2

Not bad huh? Took a while but Read and review about the situation.

How far the relationship do you think is going to go?

Where did Max take the kids?

Will there be more trouble in the future?

I'll try to get chapter 3 up and if I can't, I can't. (God, I hate these midterms!)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Fun and Relaxation (1st day of July.)

"Where are we?" Gwen asked "an amusement park?"

"Close but no." Max replies "Kids, how about a five-star hotel!"

"No way!" Ben and Gwen exclaimed as they saw the hotel "It's bigger than New York's hotel."

"How did you get reservations here?" Gwen asks.

"A friend of mine owns this hotel and I thought it would be time to catch up to him." Max replies "an excellent place to relax as well."

"Looks fancy." Ben says

"'Fancy' isn't the word" Max says "More like awesome for families and couples."

Ben and Gwen chuckled nervously, "if you say so, Grandpa."

As soon as everybody stepped in the hotel Max tells them what the hotel has "This hotel has an indoor swimming pool, room service, game room, great dinners, it has it all."

"Max!" a voice calls out

"Huh?"

"Max, it's me Jason." He calls

"Jason, it's been ten years." Max replies

"I know."

"These are your grandchildren?" Jason asks

"Yep, Ben and Gwen meet Jason who used to work with me as a plumber."

"Hello." Ben says shaking his hand

"Hi." Gwen says

"Kids, you're room is 328 on the third floor, you'll be sharing while my room is on the first floor." Max instructs "I've got some catching up to do."

"Elevator's right past the desk." Jason tells Ben and Gwen.

"Thanks." They both reply and run to the elevator.

Once inside the elevator…

"How do you think the rooms look?" Ben asked Gwen

"I hope the rooms are good." Gwen replies

Once in room 328 off the elevator…

"Whoa!" they both exclaimed "This is cool!" they're room had a bathroom, one bed, mini fridge, folding tables, a stereo and a 29 inch television.

"Hey Ben, let's relax for a while." Gwen suggests

"Yeah, we'll relax in here." Ben replies

Gwen puts the bags on the floor near the door.

Ben takes off his shoes and sits on the bed, "Try the bed, it's comfortable."

Gwen tries the bed by lying down on it and replies with a smirk "For once, you're right."

"Hey, I'm right!"

"When, Ben?"

Ben thinks for a moment but says "Okay, you got me."

Gwen laughs at Ben's comment.

"What's so funny?"

"You are and I just realized it."

"I never knew that."

"I didn't say till-"

Ben cuts Gwen off by kissing her on the lips.

Gwen is so surprised by Ben's move that she kisses him right back.

Meanwhile at an undisclosed location…

"Yes, I'm free!" the man says "away from that wretched place."

His bird lands on the sidewalk near the river.

"Come on up, my pet."

A horned toad with about three eyes comes up out of the water.

"Where are you, Tennyson?" He snarls

The man climbs onto his bird and looks around.

"Nope, nope, ah here we go." He says "down now."

The bird lands back on the ground.

"You're next, Tennyson." He says walking to the hotel.

Back to Ben and Gwen…

Gwen slightly kicks Ben legs, signaling him to open his legs so Gwen legs can have room.

10 minutes later they finally break the kiss.

"That was fun." Ben says

"You're right, it was." Gwen agrees.

Meanwhile with Max and Jason…

"Jason, I can't believe all this success." Max says

"Even though I was one of the plumbers?" Jason replies

"Yeah, you were the best at-"

Boom! The front door is blasted off it hinges.

"What was that?!" Max demands

"Time for payback, Tennyson!" the man says

"!"

Meanwhile at Ben's and Gwen's room…

The room telephone suddenly rings.

Gwen answers the phone.

"Hello?" Gwen asks

"Gwen, Animo is here!" Max tells her.

"We're on our way!" She replies

"Ben?"

"Yeah?" Ben asks

"Animo is here!" she says

"Let's go stop him!"

End of chapter 3

Sorry if it took too long so anyways, Read and Review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Animo strikes!

"Attack!" Animo commands his bird to attack Grandpa Max.

Max dodges the bird and goes to the RV to get his jetpack.

Meanwhile in the elevator…

"How did Animo find us?" Ben asks

"I don't know, I thought that he was in jail." Gwen replies

"Looks like we need to send him back."

"Let's do it, how about one kiss for luck?"

"Sure." Ben answers as they kiss before hitting the lobby floor.

Elevator dings…

"Let's stop him!" Ben says

"Let's do it." Gwen replies

"I'll try to get Diamondhead, Gwen-"

"On it." She boasts

Ben tries to turn to Diamondhead but stops to hear Animo say "Attack Tennyson, my pet!" he tells his horned toad.

Max comes out of the RV with his jetpack and hits the bird to the parking lot.

Jason however, looks underneath for his Plumbers gun but can't seem to find it.

Animo's frog jumps high to attack Ben, the impact not only leaves a crater impact but Gwen looked pale at the power.

"Ben?" says with nervousness and concern in her voice.

Ben however, was on his back keeping about four inches from the toad's full impact and activates the Omnitrix and changes into Diamondhead.

Animo's toad jumps in the air in pain and Gwen sees big green diamonds from out of the ground.

"Ben!" she says with happiness and surprise.

"Gwen!" he replies as he getting up "Go! Go!"

"Kay." Gwen says as she whips up a spell of a tornado to attack Animo. (Not black like the ones in tornado alley.)

Animo's impact is made in the ground of the parking lot ground.

Animo gets up quickly and says "attack the girl, my bird!" he tells his bird to attack Gwen.

As Animo's bird takes Gwen in the air Gwen cries "Ben, help!"

"Coming!" He replies as he knocks out Animo's toad with a diamond punch from under ground.

Ben accurately throws little diamond-spears to the bird, the bird screeches in pain.

"Ben, it's going to-""Ahhhh!" Gwen screams as the bird drops her in pain.

Gwen however, closes her eyes until a few seconds later and she does land on the ground.

Gwen looks up and sees who had caught her from falling to her death.

"Ben!" she says with relief and happiness as she hugs him.

"Anytime." He replies until the Omnitrix times out on him "No! I needed to stay a little longer' Ben thought.

Animo however, wasn't impressed.

"It's not over yet!" Animo expresses and he charges his black helmet with an antenna and shoots lasers at Ben.

"Look out!" Gwen warns Ben.

Ben avoids most of the lasers but Animo fires another one and hits Ben in the arm.

Ben screams in pain and rolls at least one foot before stopping.

"Ben!" Gwen calls to her boyfriend.

'I didn't set it to mutate' Animo thought and takes off his black mutation helmet to adjust it. Animo puts his helmet back on and ready to fire.

"Now, Tennyson prepare to-"

A blue blast from nowhere hits Animo knocking him out.

Both Ben and Gwen turn to see where the blast had come from and they both see Jason with a plumbers' tech gun in his hand.

"Jason!" they exclaimed

"Your time is up." Jason says to the knocked out Animo.

As police arrests Animo, Animo looks at Ben and thinks 'What Tennyson doesn't know is that laser will make him feel unusual.'

Jason walks up to Max who was watching Animo getting taken away by police.

"Thanks to your grandkids, my doors are fixed and ready to open."

"It's what we do, Jason." Max replies

"You guys have permanent reservations, just call the hotel anytime."

"Will do." Max turns to his grandchildren and tells them "Kids, go on relax."

"Come on Gwen." Ben encourages as they go back to their room.

As the couple goes back to their rooms, Gwen discovers something horrifying.

"Ben, your arm!" she cries

"Huh?" He says in confusion

"Your left arm, Ben!" she tells him

Ben looks at his left arm and looks shocked at his arm.

Ben's left arm is bleeding from the upper arm like a river; his hand is making the blood drop like rain.

"Gwen, I need something to keep the blood in." He says while grinning in pain.

"I'll try this cloth I got from the hotel." Gwen says as they walk to the elevator.

In the elevator…

"I'll try to stop it." Gwen says as she is putting pressure on Ben's arm.

"Gwen's really does care." Ben thought. "Thanks." He replies to Gwen's comment.

The blood is slowing down thanks to Gwen's help but Ben tells Gwen "Gwen, I think I'm going to black out."

"Can you hang on?" She pleads

"A little longer…" Ben says sounding weaker.

"Okay." She looks at the elevator's number for the 4th floor. "Come on' She thought "I'm worried here."

As they go in their room, Ben sits on the bed and says to Gwen "You may need a bigger cloth." He suggests

"I'll look for one." She replies

As Gwen looks for one, she's unaware that back in the living room on the bed that Ben has collapsed on the floor.

"Alright, Ben there you-"

She sees Ben's unmoving body on the floor.

"Ben!" Gwen cries "Are you okay?" trying to aid her boyfriend by stopping the blood.

No response from Ben.

"Ben?"

"Ben!" She yells

End of Chapter 4

Sorry if it took too long, schoolwork's getting challenging so anyway

Read and Review!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Down, but not out

"Ben, wake up!" Gwen pleaded as she is shaking Ben on the bed.

"Ben?"

No response from Ben.

"Wake up!" Gwen yells in frustration and slaps Ben in the face.

Gwen's hand was red in the palm from the impact of the slap.

Gwen hears Ben groaning.

"Ben?"

Ben wakes up and feels two pains: his left arm and the pain from Gwen's slap.

"Did you just slap me?" he asks

"Yeah." She answers "I thought that you were-"

"I know." He says while cutting her off.

Gwen throws herself on Ben in a hug that surprises Ben just now (He was knocked out for two hours.)

Ben hugs Gwen and asks her "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Gwen hugs tighter on her grip on Ben.

"Gwen…. My arm…. You're squeezing it too hard." He says between his pains.

"Sorry." She apologizes as she let's go of Ben.

"No harm done how's my left since I collapsed two hours ago?"

"Well, Grandpa put some medicine on it a while ago." Gwen answers "He wrapped it and he wanted me to tell you not to do anything difficult for a while."

"Meaning?"

"Don't go hero for a while till your arm heals."

"Thanks, where is Grandpa anyway?" Ben asks

"Well, he told that he's gone fishing for the day." Gwen answers

"So, we have-"

"The whole day together." Gwen says cutting Ben while she has a devious smile on her face.

"Gwen, are you mad about something?" he says with uneasiness in his voice

"No, I'm just happy that you're okay." She replies as she leans closer to Ben.

Gwen then kisses Ben on the lips.

Ben is shocked by Gwen's actions; however he had to see it coming which he didn't anyway so he returns the kiss by putting his tongue in Gwen's mouth

Gwen does vice versa on Ben, "nice." Ben compliments Gwen kissing.

"Less talking." Gwen orders Ben as she does takes off Ben's shirt which she probably shouldn't have done.

Gwen's face turns completely red when she looks at Ben's bare chest. 'There is something about a boy's chest that is different; it's so masculine that it is hot about it.' Gwen thought

Ben reunites the kiss and they continued for about 10 minutes until Ben grabs a place he shouldn't.

"Ben, slow down." Gwen says

"What do you mean?" Ben replies

"Check your right hand."

Ben check his right hand and sees it was on Gwen's left butt cheek. (Might get rated T for this.)

"Sorry." He says while his face goes completely red.

"That's okay." She says in a calming voice "Don't rush ok?"

"Ok, take it nice and slow."

"Do you want to go for a swim?"

"Okay, I don't see why not."

As Ben changes into a pair of crimson red swim trunks, Gwen changes to an emerald green diamond swimsuit and walked down the hall hand-in-hand till they see…

"Grandpa!" Gwen alarms Ben.

"What should we do?" Ben asks "We can't let him see us like this."

"I thought he was gone for the day." Gwen whispers to Ben.

"He must have returned early from fishing." Ben replies "What should we do?"

"Simple." Gwen answers "Let go of my hand."

"Okay, for now."

Grandpa Max walks up to the kids and says "Hey kids, where are you two going?"

"Swimming." Gwen answers

"When I first seen you guys down the hall, were you guys holding hands?" Grandpa asks

Both Ben and Gwen exchange shocked to their Grandpa and themselves.

"No we weren't." Gwen answers "Anyway, that's disgusting holding hands with him and that will be the day I die."

"Ben?" Grandpa asks

"No way." Ben answers "Come on that was uncalled for, I mean seriously?"

"If you say so." (Max is being sarcastic to Ben and Gwen.)

"Bye, Grandpa!" they both say running to the pool.

"Bye." Max answers 'I don't know what's going on here' Max thought 'But I'll find out.'

End of Chapter 5

Trying to save the action for later, for now Read and Review!

What did Max mean by "I'll find out."

"Do you think the relationship is safe?"

I'll be working on chapter 6 for now.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Swimming and suspicions

I'm try to slow down for some people; (Check reviews) but still I'm in inexperienced writer so I'll learn with time and experience.

**A few hours later in the pool…**

Once Ben and Gwen reach the outside pool area both happily jump in.

Gwen swims over to Ben sine he's relaxing on the left side of the pool.

"Uh, Ben?" Gwen says (She currently can't say anything else.)

"Yeah?" Ben answers.

"Do you think Grandpa knows?"

"To be honest, I don't know."

"You think he'll accept us like this?" Gwen obviously is concerned.

"I hope so." Ben says while sighing.

"Well then, let's swim ok?"

Ben thinks for a moment and answers "Sure."

Ben takes Gwen's hand to the middle end of the pool.

"Ben, stop rushing!" she says as she's trying to resist Ben pulling her

"Why, can't handle the water sweetie?" Ben teases.

Gwen blushed at Ben calling her "sweetie" but yells "Stop!" as she splashes Ben in the face hard while her cheeks go back to their normal state.

Ben let's go of Gwen's hand in order to wipe the water from his face.

"Did you just splash me?" Ben asks

"Of course." She answers while teasing him.

Ben of course, splashes Gwen with water so hard that Gwen is drenched from the head down.

"You're going to pay for that, Ben!" Gwen yells and splashes Ben back in frustration.

Both Gwen and Ben continue splashing each other for a little while until Ben sees a familiar person in the pool area relaxing.

"Gwen, stop!" He pleaded while coughing water.

"What's wrong, Ben?" Gwen asks teasingly "Give up?"

"This is no time for teasing, Gwen." He says between coughs of water.

"You okay?" Gwen asks

"I'm fine for now, but you might want to look to your right."

Gwen looks at the right side of the pool and sees…

"Grandpa!" Gwen says in complete shock.

Max is currently sitting on a lounge chair in the pool area while in a white t-shirt and blue shorts watching the pool area with his camera on his lap.

Max is taking pictures of Ben and Gwen playing in the pool "I knew you were hiding something." He says softly (Ben and Gwen don't hear Max or the camera.) "Time to get these photos developed." Max leaves the pool area but Ben and Gwen see him leaving.

"Where's he going?" Ben asks

"To be honest, I have no clue." Gwen answers

Ben and Gwen continued swimming for about 10 minutes straight and then.

**On their way back to the elevator…**

"What a swim!" Ben says

"I told you so." Gwen teases

**In the elevator…**

"I told you it would be fun." Gwen remarks

"Thanks for the tip." Ben replies and starts shaking his hair and water goes on Gwen.

"Stop." Gwen demands while trying to dry her face of water.

"Why should I?" Ben asks teasingly.

**In Ben and Gwen's hotel room…**

"I'll be changing in the bathroom." Gwen tells Ben. In Gwen's hands she is carrying her clothes, a light blue shirt and a baby blue skirt as well.

"Ok." Ben replies

"If I hear even the door knob turn Ben, I'll make your life a nightmare!" She warns and her right hand is currently filled with blue energy as a warning to Ben.

"All right, all right." Ben replies "Calm down, will ya?"

**Fifteen minutes later…**

Gwen emerges from the bathroom with a light blue shirt on and with that has a baby blue skirt that goes down barely past her kneecaps.

During that same time frame, Ben changed in a green t-shirt with a black shirt and with that combination black sweatpants and black and white hi-tops.

"Gwen, you look beautiful." He comments Gwen.

"Thanks." She replies while her cheeks go a little pink.

"Don't sweat it." He commented as he walks up to Gwen.

Now they were at near each other faces, Gwen face starts going red.

Ben passionately kisses Gwen right on the lips as he breaks away from the kiss.

"Ben?" She says while blushing harder than normal.

Gwen returns the favor by kissing Ben back on the lips.

Ben breaks the kiss and asks "You'll think he will accept us like this?"

"I hope so." Gwen grabs Ben's face and reunites the kiss.

The couple continues kissing for about ten minutes until a mysterious letter slides under the door of room 328.

Gwen breaks the make-out session goes retrieves the letter ands reads it.

Dear Ben and Gwen,

I'm doing fine but we need to talk about this week and everything.

Jason will talk to you first and then me in the RV.

Sincerely,

Max Tennyson

"What's it say?" Ben asks

"We have to see Grandpa." Gwen answers

"Oh boy."

"Let's go." Gwen says and both Gwen and Ben leave room 328.

**End of chapter 6**

**Sorry if I took too long about the story, (Teachers)**

**Anyway, read and review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Busted!

As Ben and Gwen ride the elevator down to the lobby where Jason was currently doing work in the lobby.

"Hey Jason." Ben says

"Why hello to the both of you." Jason replies

"Grandpa said that you needed to speak to us." Gwen says

"I'm going to tell you that your room will be cleaned and changed by 7 pm tonight." Jason tells

"Ok, thanks." Ben replies as Ben and Gwen go leave the lobby and finds Grandpa's RV in the parking lot.

Gwen opens the door and marks "The door's normally locked."

"Do you think he left it open for a reason?" Ben asks

"Remember what the letter said, Ben." Gwen reminds Ben because Ben can be a little forgetful.

Gwen opens the door the RV side door and both of them look around but don't find Grandpa.

"He isn't here." Ben says

"Try behind you." A voice says coming from behind them.

A light suddenly turns on and it was Grandpa indeed sitting in his chair, currently wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

"Hey Grandpa." Ben greets

"We need to talk." Grandpa says with some sternness in his voice.

Gwen and Ben choose to sit on some chairs while Max gets up and gets a picture of the day that Gwen and Ben were in the pool area.

"Would either one of you care to explain?" Max asks with calmness in his voice.

Both Ben and Gwen looked at each other with nervousness and then the both of them turn their chairs to face their grandpa.

"We were just playing in the pool, Grandpa." Ben lies trying to protect Gwen.

"Just playing?" Max asks

"Yeah, we were." Gwen says

Ben turns to Gwen in shock and gives her a "what are you doing" look to her.

"Whatever it is, just tell me." Max ensures and then sighs in disbelief.

Both Ben and Gwen feel more nervous then they did before, Max doesn't see them holding hands beneath the table they're sitting at.

"Grandpa, I don't think you will be able to-"Ben gets cut off by Max.

"I'll be able to handle it Ben, just tell me." Max says

"Ok, I love Gwen." Ben says

"Finally, you two are getting along." Max replies

"I don't think you understand Grandpa." Gwen interrupts

"What do you mean, Gwen?" Max asks

Both Ben and Gwen say nothing and let go of their hands underneath the table.

"Tell me." Max ensures

"Grandpa." Gwen says with nervousness and sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, Gwen?" Max asks

"I'm in love with Ben."

Max looks shocked like he had a stroke.

Max turns to Ben and asks "Ben is this true?"

Ben doesn't even look up to his Grandpa without knowing that they could be in trouble.

"Is this true?" Max repeats

Ben looks up to his Grandpa and admits "Yes Grandpa, it is true."

Grandpa Max gets up from his chair to stand up like he had gone stiff for a minute.

"Now I need to tell you guys something." Max tells

"We're in trouble aren't we?" Ben says in a nervous voice.

"No." Max answers "I had wanted you two to get along much better this summer but I hadn't expected you too to fall in love for each other but love does work in mysterious ways."

"You're going to tell your parents?" Gwen asks

"That's up to you too." Max answers "You guys may have to slow down until you're 18 or married, until then you have my blessing."

"Thanks, Grandpa!" Both Ben and Gwen exclaim as they hug their grandpa in a bearhug.

"You guys almost can kill me." Max says "now be kind as in let me go."

Ben and Gwen let go of their grandpa.

"By the way, you guys want to go on a fishing trip?" Max offers

"I thought you went fishing already." Gwen remarks

"It was boring without you two guys." Max replies "Who wants to go?"

"We do!" both Gwen and Ben exclaims

"I'm going to make a call." Max tells

**Meanwhile at the hotel…**

Telephone rings in the lobby, Jason goes to answer it.

"Hello?" Jason asks

"Jason, it's me." Max answers

"Max, what's up?"

"Jason, we're leaving the hotel."

"You are?"

"Yeah, take our name off the book."

"I'll do that."

"Ok, see ya Jason."

"Bye, Max."

Max hangs up on his cell phone and says "Kids, let's go fishing!" Max exclaims

Both Ben and Gwen cheer happily and the crew is off again onto the highway in the RV.

**End of Chapter 7**

Finally, work has piled up on me like a mountain top and sorry if it took too long.

R&R


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Fishing adventures

**WARNING: Super long chapter!!!**

Grandpa Max is currently is going 65 on the highway since 70 is the speeding limit.

"Where were going?" Ben asks

"You'll see." Max answers with a smile on his face.

"Wonder why he's smiling." Ben thought

"Almost forgot, we will be heading back to Bellwood tomorrow afternoon." Max tells Ben and Gwen.

Ben goes pale like he had heard a ghost's voice in his ear.

"Why?" Ben demands

"Two reasons" Max says "One is for new clothes."

"Oh man." Ben groans

"Yes!" Gwen happily exclaims

"Second reason is that school is starting soon."

Ben groans in frustration.

"Just another year for me to pass." Gwen boasts

"It's not that, another miserable year with Cash and J.T." Ben says miserably

Gwen walks over from the table and smacks Ben in the head.

"What was that for?!" Ben asks while rubbing his head

"Simple." Gwen says "Stop being a chicken and stand up for yourself."

"You make it sound so simple."

"You make it sound hard."

"Your birthdays are coming up." Max tells "I think I got a present for you guys."

It was the first time that Ben or Gwen ever had been happy about their birthdays normally because before they fell in love that was the rivalry.

"I hope it's not of his food." Gwen whispers to Ben.

"I can agree to that." Ben whispers.

The group passes a billboard sign that says "Sunset Lake up ahead."

"What's Sunset Lake?" Gwen asks

"It's where we're going to catch some salmon." Max answers

"Why?" Ben asks

"You'll see." Max replies in a mysterious way.

Both Ben and Gwen exchange confused looks at each other but they stop after a few seconds.

By the time the group gets to the lake it was already 6:40 in the evening, Max is seen with the group taking out some fishing rods in good condition while Ben and Gwen were already waiting at the lake.

**The conversation with the couple…**

"The lake looks beautiful." Gwen marks

"I know." Ben says

"I just wish something romantic would happen."

"We'll wait for that."

**Back with the group…**

"Got the rods!" Max says as he walks up to the lake with Ben and Gwen.

"We'll have to rent a boat if we want to fish." Ben says

"There's a shack right across from where we parked." Gwen explains

The group walks up to this log shack that's surprising in good condition that looked like it's been there for years.

"This is where we are to get a boat?" Ben asks

"Read the sign, doofus." Gwen insults Ben for his lack of intelligence.

The group goes inside into the shack without their knowledge that it was a shop for boats

There were fishing rods, bait and a lot of other knickknacks in the store.

"Looks like no one is here." Gwen comments

"In the back." A sudden voice says

The group goes to the back of the shop and finds a man in his mid 30's, black long hair to this shoulders, medium skinned, and is currently unloading boxes at the moment.

"Who are you?" Max asks

"I'm Eddie." The man says "Nice to meet err…"

"Max." Max finishes "and these are my grandkids Ben and Gwen."

"Hello." Gwen says

"Hi." Ben greeted

"Nice to meet both of you." Eddie says

"We need a boat." Max says

"Got one in mint condition." Eddie adds "Cost you guys $5.00."

"Deal." Max commented

**5 minutes later…**

"Let's go!" Max exclaims as he pushes the boat to the tip of the water, Ben and Gwen get the rods and bait as Max completely pushes the boat onto the lake.

"So Grandpa, what fish are we trying to catch?" Gwen asks

"Some salmon come up here twice a year to migrate." Max answers

"Sounds good." Ben replies

Max leans closer to Ben to whisper something in Ben's ear; however Gwen doesn't hear them at all. (Talk about ignoring some things.)

"There's a really good sunset that Gwen has to check out." Max whispers

"I'm listening, at what time?" Ben whispers back

"8:30, take my watch to keep track." Max advises as he gives Ben his watch

"Thanks." Ben whispers back to Max as he leans back to his side of the boat and casts his reel.

Gwen and Max do the same with their reels, Max from the back and Gwen from the front.

"Are we supposed to wait?" Ben asks

"If you want to catch fish, be patient." Max quoted

**10 minutes later…**

Ben suddenly feels a tug on his reel on his fishing rod.

Grandpa Max looks at Ben's fishing rod and says to Ben "Got something?" Max asks

"I think so." Ben answers

Suddenly another tug from Ben's rod but it was stronger than the last one.

"You might want to reel it in quickly." Max suggests

"Ben, you got something?" Gwen asks

"I think so." Ben says while trying to reel in what's on the other side of the reel.

The reel that's Ben reeling is getting closer, however the fish that is underwater is fighting back.

"Tough fish you got there." Max says then a slight chuckle of laughter

"Ha-ha very funny grandpa." Ben replies in sarcasm "Focus even though I'm terrible at it."

Gwen decides to put her rod and turns around to cheer for Ben "You can do it."

"This fish really wants to win." Ben grins between his teeth.

"Reel it in before it gets away." Max suggests

"I will." Ben answers

After of what it looks like to be a tug of war match between Ben and the fish Ben however pulls it out of the water but the fish hits him in the face.

Grandpa Max and Gwen laugh pretty hard at what they just saw

Grandpa Max stops laughing completely.

"You all right?" Gwen asks while stopping to laugh

"It's not funny." Ben replies

"You're right." Gwen says in a low tone but picks up her tone in time for "It's hilarious!"

Gwen laughs again but a little harder than her first laugh.

Ben groans in frustration after Gwen's little teasing section.

The fish however, is flopping on the hook of the rod trying to get the worms of the hook and looks like it's slowing down in terms of life until it stops shortly after.

"Caught one." Ben says

Gwen's rod suddenly starts to move on it's own towards the water.

"Gwen, your rod." Ben warns

"My rod?" Gwen asks sheepishly

"Turn around."

Gwen turns around in time to see her rod at the end of the boat almost going in the lake.

Gwen panics and reaches it in time but yells in panic of almost falling in the water.

"Whoa!" Gwen panics in a frightened tone of voice

"Help me before I lose my balance!" Gwen yells to Ben

Ben gets off his seat quickly to grab Gwen by the waist to prevent her from falling from the boat.

"Ben thank goodness, now can you-"

Gwen was cut off by Ben pulling her back in the boat.

"Thanks." Gwen commented

"Anytime." Ben replies

Suddenly a fish that was tugging on Gwen's end of the rod jumps up out of the water.

"I caught one!" Gwen exclaims

"Good job." Ben congratulates

"What time is it Grandpa?" Gwen asks

Grandpa Max nods to Ben and Ben says "it's 6:55."

"Really?" Gwen asks

"Yep." Ben replies

Grandpa Max suddenly gets a tug from his line.

"Got a bite." Max commented

"You know what to do."

After 30 seconds Max reels in this medium-sized salmon.

"Nice." Ben commented

"Thanks." Max accepts

After everyone had caught their own fish Grandpa Max decided it's time to row the boat back to the campsite with their heads held high.

"Ben, may I speak to you privately?" Max asks

"Sure, Gwen hang on to my fish for a moment." Ben says as he's gives Gwen the fish that he caught.

"Okay." Gwen answers

Ben walks to Grandpa Max at the pine tree near the lake.

"Check your bandage." Max says

"Okay." Ben answers in a low voice

Ben starts to tear off the bandage, and it is reveals a completely healed left arm.

"My arm is healed." Ben softly exclaims

"I thought that it would be healed by now, so I decided to pick today to have you check it." Max tells

"Yeah, thanks." Ben offers

"Don't let Gwen know." Max says

"Why not?" Ben asks

"Just don't." Max says

"Gwen is going to be mad at the both of us." Ben thought, Ben leaves Grandpa Max trying to start a campfire.

Ben sees Gwen cutting the scales off the fish with a hunter's knife and Gwen says to Ben without looking at him "What did Grandpa tell you?"

"Nothing actually." Ben lied

"Something's up with you." Gwen says

"No, I'm not." Ben says "Nothing's wrong."

Ben runs over to the Rustbucket, goes behind it and activates his Omnitrix.

"Time to go XLR8." Ben says

A sudden flash of green light and standing in Ben's place is XLR8.

"Time to leave." XLR8 says "time to get Gwen a present." XLR8 thought and leaves toward the town.

Gwen hears the green light of the Omnitrix, goes to Grandpa Max and asks "Did Ben just leave?"

"Yeah, let's just say that he accelerated somewhere." Max answers

"He what?!" Gwen yells in shock

"He did." Max simply says, walks over to the campfire and checks on the fish "Another 10 minutes." He commented

"Do you know where he went?" Gwen asks in a high tone

"No, but he did mention something about you."

"He did?"

"Yep."

"I'll wait for him." Gwen comments in a bitter manner

**Two blocks away from the Flower Shop near the hotel…**

XLR8 is seen speeding down the road towards the flower shop across from the hotel they were staying in until… A sudden beeping sound that meant only one thing.

The Omnitrix was going out and Ben was going to taste the pavement when it timed out.

However, Ben finds an alleyway and a red light glows as Ben walks onto the sidewalk and eventually reaching the flower shop.

"May I help you?" the cashier asks

Ben turns to the cashier's desk where the cashier currently was standing at and Ben replies "Yeah, do you have roses here?"

"Sure." The cashier replies "In the back of aisle five."

"Ok." Ben replies as he looks at the cashier's name tag and Ben read "Hello, my name is Fred."

Ben goes to the back of aisle five as told and gets a bouquet of roses (about six) and some white lilies with the roses and returns to the cashier's desk.

"That'll be $7.50." Fred marks

"7.50?" Ben says in shock "Fine, I'll pay it."

Ben hands Fred the 7.50 that Ben had saved before the summer had actually started.

Ben walks out of the Flower Shop and goes back to the same alleyway where he had timed out earlier.

Ben chooses XLR8 and speeds off back toward the campsite, by the time XLR8 gets back he only sees Grandpa Max taking the cooked fish away from the campfire and on the wooden table.

XLR8 runs behind the RustBucket to time out before Max can even see him.

"Whew." Ben says in a calming tone.

Ben walks away from the RustBucket only to find Grandpa Max in a lounge chair.

"Hey, Grandpa." Ben greets

Grandpa Max looks up and looks at Ben, "You're back already? I've should have expected that."

"Yeah about that, where's-"

"Gwen?" Max cuts Ben off "In the RV waiting for you."

"Thanks." Ben says and begins to walk into the RV.

When Ben opens the door he notices two things: the RV is in pitch black, and the second thing he notices is no sign of Gwen at all in the RV.

Ben takes full advantage to this as an opportunity to hide Gwen's present of flowers until she showed herself.

"Perfect." Ben says hiding the flowers in mint condition; Ben checks Grandpa's watch and says "8:00, not much time."

"You jerk!" a girlish voice yells to Ben.

Ben jumps up in panic of the voice and turns around to see an angry Gwen with her emerald green eyes showing anger and worry, her fists clutched together.

"Hey, Gwen." Ben says in a nervous tone in his voice.

"Why did you leave?!" Gwen replies in an angry tone in her voice.

Ben realizes that he has a choice between these two choices: Be honest or lie his way out.

(Guess which one he chose)

"I went for a walk." Ben lied

"Liar!" Gwen yells as she walks up to Ben and punches him in the chest.

Ben stumbles back from the punch right to the wall of the bedroom of where they first slept, "Gwen calm down, I'm not lying." Ben pleaded he had never seen this side of Gwen before.

"You are Ben, you're lying!" She remarks as she starts pounding Ben's chest with her fists.

"Gwen, calm down!" Ben shouted out, he hadn't realized that he had almost snapped at Gwen.

Gwen had stopped punching immediately, her emerald green eyes looked like on the verge of tears.

"Why not? I was so worried about you!" Gwen replies

"I know, but I'm here now." Ben assures

"I'll believe you, when you show me." Gwen marks

"You'll see, at 8:30." Ben says in a mysterious tone in his voice, he laughs for some reason just like Seymour (ffx)

Ben grabs the roses from his hiding spot, gives Gwen a peck on the cheek and leaves the RV.

Gwen goes after him but stops when she sees Ben hand Grandpa Max something and then Ben runs off.

"What's with Ben?" Gwen asks

"I think that he has something planned for you." Max answers "Sounds like you two had a fight."

"Were you eavesdropping?! " Gwen yells

"Didn't need to." Max replies "You two were so loud that I couldn't help to listen."

"Didn't need to do that."

"I know." Max says flatly

"I feel bad for what happened." Gwen says in an upset tone of voice

"Go make it up to him."

"How?"

"Meet him at the top of the hill, you only have five minutes."

Gwen hearing this, she moves hastily to catch up to Ben.

By the time she catches up, she sees Ben staring at the sunset at the horizon.

"Ben." Gwen says

Ben just turns around and sees Gwen with her emerald green eyes filled with compassion instead of anger.

"Come, watch the sunset with me." Ben offered

Gwen walks to Ben's left side and now they were standing side by side.

"It's beautiful." Gwen commented

"Not as beautiful as you." Ben remarks

The sunset colors however, are keeping Ben from seeing Gwen's cheeks turn to a rosy red color.

Gwen's color turns back to their normal color.

"I have something for you." Ben says

"What is it?" Gwen asks

A few seconds of silence between the couple until Gwen repeats what she just said

"What is it?" Gwen repeats

Ben currently has his hands behind his back holding the bouquet of flowers for Gwen.

"You're hiding something." Gwen teased

"No, I'm not!" Ben says in a defensive tone

"Can't fool me, Ben."

"You're right, here." Ben hands Gwen the flowers that he had brought for her

Gwen stands there in shock and amazement "Oh, Ben." Gwen says sweetly as she starts to hold back tears.

"You don't have to thank me." Ben obliged

"Yes, I do." Gwen says

"No you-"Ben was cut off by Gwen passionately pressing her lips against his.

Ben breaks off the kiss wondering what had just happened.

"Did you just-"Ben had attempted to say but Gwen cuts him off.

"This is my present to you." Gwen says and then she reunites the kiss

The couple just continues the make-out session for about a half an hour until they stop to catch their breath.

"That was-"Ben started

"Fun and yet passionate." Gwen finished

Suddenly a person that was trying to get their attention of clearing his throat is heard.

Both Ben and Gwen turn to see who it was, it was their own Grandpa.

"Hey, you two." Max says to the couple

"Hey." Both Ben and Gwen says

"Come on, let's go." Max tells

"Now?" They both ask

"Yes."

"Ok."

The group decides to get into the RV and leave the campsite.

Max continues to drive the RV until they reach a pit stop fast food diner.

"We'll rest here tonight." Max tells the grandkids "It's 9:50."

"Ok, see ya tomorrow Gwen." Ben said as he climbs toward his top of the bunk bed.

"Sure, see ya." Gwen says as he hits the hay to sleep

Once the couple is sleep, Max says softly so they can't hear him "Maybe I'm getting too old for this."

**End of chapter 8**

A/N: Sorry if I too long, my original plan was to have this up by spring break.

(Didn't happen.)

I think I wrote myself into a few binds and somehow I got out of it.

I'll be working on chapter 9, I think that'll be the shortest

Anyways, Read and Review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: On the way to Bellwood

A day after the catching fish at the lake Ben and Gwen along with Max are riding in the RV back to Bellwood.

Gwen is on her laptop as usual, while Ben is currently listening to his iPod without a care in the world.

They were at the diner for breakfast an hour earlier but after the first breakfast Max decided it was time to leave.

"Ben." Gwen calls

Ben doesn't respond.

Gwen sighs in frustration "Typical."

Gwen decides to type a message to Ben on her laptop.

"Ben." Gwen calls

Ben simply looks over to see why Gwen was calling him so badly; Ben decides to get up from relaxation to find out what Gwen wanted by sitting next to her.

"Gwen, what did you call me for?" Ben asked

"How are we going to keep in touch after we split up to our own lives?" Gwen responds

Ben notices that Gwen isn't her normal self, "she looks depressed" Ben thought

"Gwen, you ok?" Ben asks in a concerned manner

Gwen shakes her head

"I know you don't want to be separated but we'll be together." Ben said trying to comfort Gwen.

"I know, we'll find a way." Gwen said hugging Ben in a short embrace

While the couple hug for what could be their last time together, they're unaware is that five miles southeast at a undisclosed location there something had happened.

**At the undisclosed location…**

A crater that looks like to have a crash site of a black transporter plane, the pilot and co-pilot is knocked out next to the plane.

Two police cops that were on the plane are shooting at this six foot monster thing.

"We need backup!" One cop says with urgency

"We need more-" His backup cop said until the monster attacks with a fire attack and hits the backup officer

"Oh crap" the officer says in fear

The monster then speeds up to the officer to ask him one question

"Where is Bellwood?" He asks

The officer decides to tell him where Bellwood "It's five miles northwest."

The monster decides to knock out the officer with a punch anyway

The monster then flies out of the ditch and then speeds toward Bellwood.

While speeding down the empty road the monster thought to himself "So he's in Bellwood eh? I Kevin Levin will get my revenge!"

**Back with Ben and the gang…**

Ben and Gwen break the embrace as both just stare into each other eyes; "I don't want to lose you." Gwen said in a soft voice

"You won't" Ben assures Gwen in a calming voice

Suddenly a blur is seen as Max sees the blur as a sound was heard speeding by.

"What was that?" Ben asked

Max can't seem to have a good look at the speeding object, "I can't tell." He tells the kids as he pulls over to the shoulder.

"I'm going to see." Ben tells Max and Gwen

"Ben don't-"Gwen gets cut off by Ben closing the door to the outside

Ben looks around buts finds nothing until he hears a low sinister voice…

"Well, well if it isn't Tennyson!" Kevin says in an angry state of voice

Ben turns around in shock to see Kevin standing right there before him.

"Looks like it's time to kicks Kevin's butt, again." Ben thought

**End of chapter 9**

**A/N: **If this is my last chapter up for the school year, you won't see chapter 10 even though I'll try to get it up.

So I hope you enjoy this chapter and R&R!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Ambushed! Ben vs. Kevin part 1

**A/N:** this will be a two part battle

"Why do you want to fight again?" Ben said in a not eager mood

"Let's see, you left me on that ship with all those aliens for starters." Kevin replies in a bitter mood

"You did that to yourself, not me." Ben remarks

"And I have all your accursed alien powers."

"It was you that wanted too much power in the first place."

"If you think that so much of me, defeat me if you can, Tennyson." Kevin adds as he launches a heat blast fire attack on Ben.

Ben dodges the attack just inches from his body.

"Dodging won't help you here Tennyson!" Kevin marks

"I don't need to dodge, but I'll beat you though." Ben snaps as he chooses FourArms on the Omnitrix and slams it down.

"Good, but not good enough." Kevin remarks

"I'm still good enough to beat you." FourArms ensures as both of them collide into each other to test their strength.

"Victory will be mine, Tennyson!" Kevin yells

"Defeat will be your fate, Kevin!" Ben remarks as he lands eight punches on Kevin to send him a few feet away on the ground

Kevin gets up quickly from the punch combo like it didn't even hurt him at all.

"That didn't hurt me at all." Kevin says

"If you didn't have FourArms rough skin that would have left a mark." Ben replies

Kevin decides to use Heatblast's multiple attacks as in attempt to counter attack

Ben jumps ten feet in order to dodge Kevin's attack as Ben lands across the street.

"You missed Kevin." Ben says in a confident tone

"I didn't." Kevin says in a sinister way as he punches Ben in the face and the impact sends Ben in the middle of the road.

"You're so weak, Tennyson." Kevin says in a cruel tone as he picks up Ben and tosses Ben though the sign that said "To Bellwood."

The impact alone can make any human being tremble in fear as Gwen comes out of the safety of the RV and looks in the direction of the impact.

"Ben!" Gwen yells trying to locate him

Grandpa Max walks up to Gwen by her side; "This is Ben's fight, let him fight."

"But Grandpa-"

"Gwen, this is serious."

"Ok."

**Back to the fight…**

**"You haven't changed, Tennyson!" Kevin snarled as he approaches closer to an unmoving Ben.**

**Ben starts to get up in a dazed state as he's trying to shake off the dizziness.**

**"You're finally done, Tennyson!" Kevin remarks as he gets ready for a knockout punch on Ben**

**Ben finally snaps out of his dizziness in time to see the attack coming from Kevin.**

**"Good-Bye, Tennyson!" Kevin yells as he uses XLR8's speed as extra power as in attempt to knock out Ben in the face.**

**Ben dodges the attack by inches as Kevin stops and turns around in frustration as Ben was able to avoid the blow.**

**"You'll-"Kevin started to say but was cut off by Ben finishing what Kevin had attempted to say**

**"Be defeated." Ben says as both Ben and Kevin charge into each other with so much force that the both of them are flown back ten feet from where the impact was.**

**"That force was powerful." Max says**

**"And not to mention the huge dust cloud after that." Gwen pointed out**

**Sure enough, a massive dust had engulfed from the impact location to where Gwen and Max were standing.**

**"Now we wait." Max says**

**"Ok, I hope Ben is okay." Gwen replies back**

**"He will be."**

**End of chapter 10**

**A/N:**** Now that I've got a computer at my house, now's it easier to update my fanfic and I apologize for making everyone wait!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Ambushed! Ben vs. Kevin part 2

The huge dust cloud slowly begins to disappear as the winds start to blow it away.

As the dust clears, both Gwen and Grandpa Max are in shock of what they see

"I don't believe it." Gwen says in amazement

"Believe it." Max says while still in amazement

Ben is on all fours struggling to get up on his feet a few feet away, however Kevin is also a few feet away starting to get up.

"Ben, hurry!" Gwen yells as a warning to let Ben know Kevin is getting back up.

Ben turns his head to see Kevin is already up and coming his way towards him.

Kevin uppercuts Ben right on the chin as Ben is sent flying a little off the main road onto the secondary road.

Both Gwen and Max go to the banister of the main road to check on Ben's condition.

"Ben! Get up please!" Gwen pleads

"He won't be able to last much longer." Max tells Gwen

**Back to the fight…**

"You're weakening, this will be over soon." Kevin ensures as he walks closer to a fatigued Ben.

Ben struggles to get on his feet as Kevin approaches near him.

"Why do you keep fighting? It's pointless to keep going." Kevin asks in a sadistic way

"I fight because I'm tired of running from people like you and it's not pointless." Ben ensures as he gets up and punches Kevin to give himself some breathing room.

Kevin recovers from Ben's punch rather quickly; Kevin decides to punch Ben with a Heatblast fire this time.

Ben at the last second before impact touches his Omnitrix symbol and changes to Cannonbolt under the green flash.

"Impossible! That should have knocked you out." Kevin declares in shock

"Nope, now you're going to be on a receiving end of a beating." Ben remarks as he rolls into a big ball and smacks Kevin down the freeway.

"Tennyson, that top-heavy pathetic loser!" Kevin thinks in frustration after what just happened

Suddenly, Ben is accelerating towards Kevin faster than expected and rams Kevin with such devastating force that Kevin is sent flying backwards towards the bridge with a long cliff drop of about a ten story drop.

Kevin backs up in panic of the terrifying power that Ben just used on him.

Ben now just walks gingerly towards Kevin.

"You knew this road was unfinished?" Kevin asks

"Yeah, it's the quickest way to get rid of you." Ben answers

"Spare me, you're still weak Tennyson." Kevin pleads

Ben touches his Omnitrix symbol and changes back to Fourarms and picks up Kevin by the neck.

"I'm not dealing with you anymore." Ben says in anger as he punches Kevin off the bridge down towards the river.

"We will meet again, Tennyson!" Kevin ensures as he falls towards the river.

"And… I'll still beat you." Ben says towards Kevin as he falls into the icy cold river

The Omnitrix times out on Ben and Ben is back to his normal self

Feeling tired and exhausted Ben walks back from the unfinished road back onto the bridge of where he and Kevin first fought.

Ben collapses back on the bridge and is leaning on the banister.

"So tired, I'll just close my eyes for a while." Ben thought and closes his eyes

Meanwhile with Grandpa and Gwen…

"We need to find him!" Gwen exclaims

"Let's go." Max leads as both Gwen and Max go into the Rustbucket and drive to where they last saw Ben and Kevin fighting

"Where are we going?" Gwen asks

"We're going back to the bridge." Max answers

**Back to Ben…**

As Ben trying to get his energy back, he hears a familiar engine

"That's the Rustbucket, isn't it?" Ben thought as he gets up

And sure enough it was the Rustbucket but also Ben hears a familiar voice

"Ben!" Gwen yells running to her lover as they both embrace in a hug

"You were worried." Ben says while letting the hug go

"You can tell?" Gwen asks

"Yeah."

"Kids, let's go back to Bellwood." Max urges the kids

"Yeah." Both Ben and Gwen agree as the family goes back into the Rustbucket and back to Bellwood.

**End of chapter 11**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: We're home!

Since the fight between Kevin and Ben was over, Ben and the group decided it was time to head back to Bellwood for a couple days to rest up before heading on the road again.

"Kevin sure is tougher than last time." Ben says in a tired manner

"Sure looked like it." Gwen comments

"Ben, seriously I think you should change your fighting style." Max suggests

"I don't think I should." Ben says while he was unaware that his temper was increasing

"You should, you gotten more reckless during your time in the summer."

"I say that you should, for our sake." Gwen commented

"Oh great, so you think so too Gwen?" Ben snapped

"Yeah I think so and I'm just trying to help." Gwen adds

"Ben, you need to get a grip on your temper." Max interrupts

"I don't think so Grandpa and Gwen I think you should-"

"I'm NOT staying out of it Ben!" Gwen snaps back

Ben looks at Gwen surprised by the way that she had just lost her temper there, not as losing her temper but this time she really lost it.

"Alright you two, Ben you know we're just trying to help you and to make sure that don't get hurt or worse killed." Max explains

Gwen shivers at the word 'killed' being said

"Like that's going to happen." Ben scoffs

"You don't know that for sure." Gwen protests with urgency and concern

"Gwen does a point you know Ben." Max intervenes in the quarrel "Changing how you fight doesn't change you; it's what you do that decides on the outcome of the battle."

"If you say so, I believe this talk is done with." Ben declares to his grandfather and to his lover as he leaves toward his bed in the back

"While I'm talking I will mention that we're almost back home." Max added while somehow managing to talk to Ben and to keep his eyes on the road at the same time.

"Great, our vacation is over." Ben declares to Gwen

Gwen walks into Ben's room even through she knows she might get turned down by Ben in the first place.

"Go away." Ben declared

Gwen goes into Ben's room despite Ben's warning.

"I thought I said to stay out." Ben restates

"I decided not to." Gwen replies

"Then why did you come in anyway?"

"For this."

Ben suddenly feels a blow to his face as he looks dumbfounded to a frustrated and red-faced Gwen.

"Ah, what was that for?" Ben yells in pain and in anger of the slap Gwen just did

"It's you, it's always have been." Gwen expresses while trying to hold back a few tears

Ben looks at Gwen first with uncertainty then realizes what an idiot he has been acting lately, "I'm sorry." Ben apologizes "I've been too tense lately is all, I didn't mean to take it out on you is all."

Gwen first looks at Ben as if he's isn't sorry, but smiles after a few seconds.

Gwen suddenly embraces Ben in a vice-like hug that leaves a stunned Ben at a loss for words.

"Did I do something right?" Ben stupidly asks

"Of course you did, now let's go see your folks." Gwen says

"They're your folks too, you know." Ben replies

Suddenly the Rustbucket had come to a complete stop.

The sudden stop of the RV resulted in Ben landing on top of Gwen, both of course goes red in different colors.

"Already ready lover boy?" Gwen teased Ben

"I don't think we have time for that." Ben counters "but nice try." Ben gives Gwen a peck on the cheek and helps her up on her feet.

"Alright, we're home you guys." Max says

"Is our vacation over?" Ben asks in curiosity

"Maybe, maybe not." replies Max

End of chapter 12

I've been meaning to put this up months ago, but I got so swamped up in school work and college it wasn't even fair. I'm sorry 4 making my fans wait so Read and Review!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Home and some new info

With the Tennyson's returning home for a short break, Ben and Gwen decide on what to do once they get inside.

"You think we should tell them?" Gwen whispers softly to Ben

"No, it's too early for one and two they'll kill us if they knew anyway." Ben replies whispering back to Gwen

Max intervenes in the conservation. "Don't tell them anything that has happened, we need to keep this secret."

Both Ben and Gwen nod in agreement as they approached the door.

Max brings the doorbell and patiently waits for an answer.

No response.

"You think anyone's home?" Gwen asked

"Probably." Max replies

Max rings the doorbell again but this time someone does answer.

To no one's surprise it was Ben's father Carl Tennyson, a man that was in his mid 30's, who surprisingly had a physique of a man in his middle 20's. His hair color was the same as Ben's but his eyes were brown compared to Ben's green eyes.

"Son, it's been a long time." Max says as he embraces Carl.

"Dad, it's good to see you." Carl replies to the embrace "How's my son getting along with Gwen?"

"The usual, I feel like I'm the referee in all this mess." Max says

"I see." "Ben your mother's not here."

"Well where is she?" Ben asks

"Well last I heard from her, her conference is still out of town in California. I'm not expecting her back for another week." Carl answered

"I wanted to see her too." Gwen cuts in "It's too bad."

"I know." Carl adds "By the way Dad, have you been checking the news in here since you came back?"

"No, no we haven't." Max answers "Why you ask anyway?"

"Well it's because some mysterious people have shown up here." Carl explains

"Anything else?"

"Well, they wear armor and they have this symbol on their armor too." Carl walks into a printer that was in the back room, the way it looked it was more of a room to put boxes in rather than a home office.

"Ah, here it is." Carl exclaims as he shows the picture to Max.

The picture appears to be a zoom-in taken from Carl's camera, the picture that Carl took seems to be focused on that symbol.

"It looks like a number doesn't it?" Carl asks Max

"It does, sorta like the symbol of infinite." Max remarks

"Grandpa, let me see that." Gwen says as Max hands her the paper.

"It is infinite." Gwen confirms Max's theory of the symbol

"Question is, what are they here for?" Max wonders

"I don't know, but it can't be for a good reason." Carl suggests

"Well son, it's been good seeing but we got to go." Max says/

"All right then." Carl confirms

"Tell mom that I said hello." Ben inputs possibly in a childish manner

"All right Ben, hope you guys have a good summer and try not to kill each other." Carl inputs

"Don't get your hopes up, Uncle." Gwen adds

As the Tennyson's leave home to enter the RV, it didn't take long for questions to surface.

"Do you know about those guys in the photo?" Ben asks

"I don't, I don't even know where to look either." Max replies

"Looks like it's time for searching!" Gwen exclaims

"Let's search!" Max exclaims as he revs the RV from it's slumber back to life and drives off into downtown.

End of chapter 13

Another chapter in the books, well since the school year is nearly over. :/ sometimes I don't like being a senior at high school but all things must move on. R&R till next chapter!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Looking over the information

With the Tennyson's leaving home, it was time to seek out some information on this mysterious group with an infinite symbol on their armor.

"Who do you think these guys are?" Ben asks Max

"They look familiar to me, but I know they're some kind of group." Max answers

"But one thing still sticks out is why would they be here?" Gwen wondered

"We'll find out, just be patient." Max advises as they drive around asking people about the symbol.

After a couple of hours of asking around the group decides to look at the information they collected so far.

"I don't think any of the info we got is right." Ben declares

"Don't be so hasty, Ben." Gwen snapped

"Why should I?" Ben remarks

"Well Ben, if we look them over even you could figure out the info." Max implies

Gwen laughed at the comment Max had implied to Ben.

"It isn't funny." Ben declares to Gwen

"Yeah it is." Gwen replies while slowly stopping her laughter

"Alright cut it out." Max orders to stop the bickering

The bickering is stopped before it could even escalate any higher.

"Alright Gwen, no more insults for now." Ben asks

"If you say so Ben, you win this round." Gwen declares

"Really? I've won?" Ben questions anxiously

"Nope, just said to see how anxious you would get." Gwen teases

"I'll get you for this later." Ben growled in frustration as he was tricked by Gwen.

"Not my fault that you're gullible." Gwen taunts

Ben responds to Gwen's comment in anger and frustration

"Ben, calm down." Gwen says in a nervous tone trying to keep her composure "Just sit down and let's look over the information please."

Ben says nothing, but stops growling then he stares at Gwen in anger that makes Gwen a bit nervous.

"Ben, you're scaring me." Gwen says in a shaking voice

Suddenly the Rustbucket pulls over to a curve and comes to a complete stop.

"Ben, I want you to get a grip on your emotions." Max demands and warns

"Ben, calm down please." Gwen urges as she's shaking Ben. '_If shaking Ben didn't work, might as well slap him' Gwen_ thought

Ben eventually snaps out of his anger and realizes that Gwen is on the verge of slapping him, and Max was close to yelling at him.

"What happened?" Ben asks Gwen

"Why I ought to slap the taste outta your mouth!" Gwen snapped

"Gwen don't slap him, Ben you don't remember?" Max asks

"Sorta, I remember Gwen making me feel all hyped up then for some unknown reason my anger just took over." Ben declares

"Told you to keep your emotions in check." Max warned

"I'll try to." Ben remarks

"Good, now let's look at the information we got." Gwen pleaded

A few minutes later the info is pretty much sorted out.

The group looks at a picture that shows these mysterious people at a warehouse unloading boxes, the picture's condition also shows that this picture was taken recently.

"It looks like these guys are at a warehouse." Gwen points out

"A warehouse? I think there's one at the outskirts of town." Max says "But that warehouse has been abandoned for a long time."

"Well let's go!" Ben commanded

"We're leaving now." Max says as he starts the Rustbucket up to life and drives towards the outskirts of Bellwood.

End of Chapter 14

A/N: This might be the last chapter I put up before the summer starts; graduation time is around the corner and then college.

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Attacking the Knight's base

After locating the mysterious base of the knight looking people, The Tennyson's stop at a hill noticing the warehouse is guarded with two knights outside and two knights in windows.

"This won't be easy." Max says as he points out the guards paroling the warehouse.

"Yeah, how do we get in?" Ben asks

Gwen looks around the base and finds an garage entrance, "Maybe we could get in that way." Gwen points out.

"Good job Gwen, Ben I hope you know what you're doing." Max says

"Alright, here's the plan-"

"Since when do you have a plan?" Gwen pointed out

"I was going to say I distract them while you guys head into the warehouse, BUT someone had to cut me off." Ben explains

"Didn't have to say it like that." Gwen says but tried to hide her feelings as if they were hurt.

"Alright then, let's go!" Ben declares as he leaves the RV and transforms into Stinkfly to assault the base.

Gwen and Max Tennyson watch in suspense as Ben attacks the base, the knight's yelling could be heard.

"Sound the alarm!" One knight commanded

"Not on my watch, ya knights." Ben says as he squirts hot acid onto the alarm, due to the acid, the controls are burned right through.

Suddenly the garage entrance is opened thanks to Ben destroying the controls.

"Ben did it." Max says as he drives directly to the entrance.

"Now let's put an end to those creeps." Gwen declares as Max drives into the warehouse.

"Now those two are in, I'm puttin an end to this." Ben declared as he sprays acid on the knights guns rendering them useless.

"Leave him, we have more intruders." The lead knight ordered

"But what about-"

"I said leave him!"

The knights run from Ben to Max and Gwen who are currently on their way to Ben at the bridge, blows of metal can be heard from the bridge and Gwen and Max fighting also.

"Oh no, guys!" Ben cries as he flies as fast as he could to the bridge.

While at the bridge fighting Gwen and Max are fighting against at least 20 knights but the numbers are catching up to them.

"There's too many of them!" Gwen points out after she kicked one knight in the head

"At this rate, we'll be exhausted from fighting the others." Max says as the knights close in on Gwen and Max.

'_Don't worry, I'm on my way.' _ Ben thought as he flies to the bridge

By the time Ben gets to the bridge there's at least 10 knights surrounding an exhausted Max and Gwen.

As Ben lands the Omnitrix shuts down causing Ben to appear as his normal self.

"Great, so not our day." Ben complained as the Omnitrix timed out on him again.

Suddenly the knights surrounded the Tennyson's with laser guns drawn.

"Alright, surrender!" the lead knight commanded

Ben checked his Omnitrix to see that it was still in the red and was still recharging.

"Ben." Gwen pleaded as if she wants Ben to transform and now, Ben couldn't and he shook his head to Gwen indicating that he needs more time before he can transform again.

Gwen and Max decided to pretend to surrender so they can buy Ben more time to transform so they can leave, "You might want to do as your family." The lead knight pointed out

Ben turns to see that Max and Gwen has given up, Gwen winked to Ben as he turned around, "All right, you win." Ben says while he throws up his arms in surrender.

While the knights lead the Tennyson's to their leader's room which surprisingly didn't have any windows on the outside, Gwen looked to Ben to see if he was ready.

"Almost." he whispered "A little more."

By the time the knights lead the Tennyson's to their leader's room, Ben had signaled that he was indeed ready to go.

"Do it, Ben." Max says

Ben changes to Diamondhead in front of the knights, the knights start shooting at the Tennyson's but Ben sets up a wall of tadentite deflecting the lasers back to themselves.

"What do we do?" one knight asks due to the lasers doing absolutely nothing to the tadentite wall.

"We'll go around it." The lead knight answered

"Not on my watch." Ben says in a low voice, Ben takes away the wall and launches tadentite crystals at the knights.

"Fall back!" The lead knight ordered but Ben had blown up their guns due to the tadentite hitting the guns.

"Ben, destroy their trucks." Max ordered as he and Gwen are headed for the Rustbucket.

"Got it." Ben acknowledges as he shoots tadentite crystals at the trucks and eventually causing them to explode.

"Great, now come on before this place blows!" Max orders

"Coming." Ben says as he jumps from the bridge to the garage exit.

The Omnitrix times out on Ben turning him back to his normal self, he gets in the Rustbucket with Max and Gwen.

"We're done here." Ben says as Max drives out of the knight's base.

A few seconds after the escape does the knights base explode leaving parts everywhere.

"People will be all over that tomorrow." Max points out

"We're going back to Bellwood?" Ben asks

"Nope, our home break is over, time to hit the open road."

"Yes!" Both Ben and Gwen say as Max drives out of town.

End of chapter 15

A/N: I want to know two things, I want to know how to change the rating by chapter, and I also want to know what's an OC. If anyone knows please tell me, it would be greatly appreciated. Read and Review!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Adventures in Pennsylvania

With the Forever Knight's hideout destroyed, the Tennyson's stop the Rust Bucket in Philadelphia.

"Oh Philadelphia, it's nice here." Gwen commented

"Yeah, if you stay from the wrong areas." Max says

"Also boring here." Ben says

Gwen punches Ben in the arm.

"What was that for?" Ben asked

"You have no appreciation for the history here." Gwen shot back

"Ben, also the Declaration of Independence was signed here." Max added

"I didn't come here for a history lesson, I would have gone to summer school." Ben declared

"And you would have flunked that too." Gwen added in.

Ben simply mutters in frustration after Gwen's cheap insult on him, Max is not surprised at Gwen's antics.

"What's our next move?" Ben asked Max

"Just enjoy the town, and if something happens Ben, take care of it quickly and efficiently." Max instructs the young man.

"Especially don't go overboard." Gwen added

"Sure." Ben says in a sarcastic manner.

While the group drives around the town, suddenly sirens are heard from behind them, the Tennyson's pull over to the side.

"I wonder what's happened?" Gwen wondered as the police car speeds on by the Rust Bucket as if the RV wasn't even there.

"I'm guessing it's bad, I'm going to try to tail it but don't do anything yet." Max informs the cousins as he speeds up the Rust Bucket towards the wailing sirens.

When Max finally gets to the sirens of the police car there appears to be a robbery at a jewelry store.

"Great, as soon we get here there's a robbery." Gwen points out

"Just the thing I have been hoping for, putting dumb criminals in jail." Ben says as he getting ready to transform.

Then the police start to chase the criminals down once the criminals see the cops as they flee like a couple of scared dogs.

"Just let me go after them?" Ben pleaded

"Sure, and let them die of a heart attack after seeing an alien." Gwen commented

"If you can keep it discrete." Max advises Ben

"Ok, it's hero time!" Ben declared as he leaves the RV to transform.

"He's not going to keep it low is he?" Gwen asks

"He might, but there's no guarantee." Max answered.

Ben decided to transform into Ghostfreak as a good guy ghost before he went rogue, he goes through the pursuing cops to the freaked out criminals to stop them from running from the law.

"What are you so afraid of?" Ben teases the criminals

One criminal shoots at Ben, but due to Ben's transparency the bullets just go through him as if nothing was there.

"Bullets have no effect on him!" one criminal says, now he is more frightened of ghosts than before.

Ben suddenly goes up in front, turns back into solid and punches them both resulting in the criminals running into the arms of the law in fear of Ben.

Ben goes back to the RV to change back into himself before he can even be followed by the Philadelphia police.

Once Ben had changed back he was greeted by Gwen with a tight embrace, Max simply high-fives Ben.

"Good work." Max commented

"Who knew you would use a alien ghost?" Gwen wondered as Ben's progression using the Omnitrix started to show during the course of the summer.

"Yeah, so Grandpa what now?" Ben wondered since the criminals were arrested by the police.

"Well, we could spend some time here, or move on." Max answered

"I think we should stay here." Gwen decided

"Ben?" Max directs

Ben thought about his decision for a moment, then he makes up his mind about his choice "I think we should go to New York City, but not for long."

"Alright, I'll find a place to park and we'll enjoy our trip to New york." Max declared as he goes and drives the RV to the big apple.

End of chapter 16

A/N: I will take this moment to thank islambouli96 for the message he sent me, another chapter is in the works but not finished yet.

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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: New York fun!

With the Rustbucket leaving Philadelphia, the gang's next destination is already decided.

"Well that was fun." Ben comments on stopping the robbers last night.

"Not to mention that I got some souvenirs." Gwen adds as she shows off a Philadelphia t-shirt along with a liberty bell necklace.

"Not only that, but we visited one of the historical cities in America." Max adds on not wanting to miss the conservation.

"Next stop, New York City!" Ben declared as Ben and Gwen high five one another.

Max drives for quite a while until around eleven when he pulls over to a rest stop.

"We'll stop here for the night." Max informed.

"Why can't we journey on?" Ben complained.

"If I was younger than yes, now no because I'm too fatigued." Max answered.

"Let's catch some shuteye." Gwen says as everyone goes to bed for the night.

When everyone is asleep, the only one wake is Ben, sleeping beside him is Gwen sleeping like Sleeping Beauty.

Ben just looks over at Gwen's sleeping body, he just loved it when she was sleeping like that, and just to tease her Ben attempts to wake her up at least a few pokes on her hip side.

Gwen just moves a bit but nothing major, Ben then tries to be romantic with her by wrapping his arms around her waist, Gwen sighs in relaxation as Ben hugs her around the waist while she slept and Ben kisses her on the neck softly as Gwen moaned in her sleep.

Ben just goes to sleep now, wrapped around Gwen as he enjoys his sleep.

The next morning, Gwen wakes up in a comforting embrace as she notices that Ben had wrapped his arms around her waist.

'Now isn't that sweet.' Gwen thought as she sees what Ben did last night.

Gwen gets rid of Ben's embrace, wakes up and gets ready for a day in the big apple.

Ben a few minutes' later wakes up and sees that Gwen is gone from her spot from where she slept last night.

"Looks like she beat me to it." Ben says as he gets up off the top bunk and then hears running water from the bathroom.

Ben goes and sits down at the table and knows that this isn't his usual way to start mourning by his standards, after a few minutes Gwen comes out and apparently she's washed her face, and by her smile on her face she feels great.

"Your turn." Gwen tells Ben as she walked by, gave Ben a peck on the cheek and closes the bedroom door where they slept last night.

Not wanting to waste any time, Ben goes in and gets ready himself for some fun in New York City along with Gwen and Max.

When Ben tries to get to his clothes, they were already laid out for him; surprisingly Gwen was the one that organized the clothes and Ben is surprised.

"I know that you're surprised, but I'm getting tired of seeing you in that same shirt." Gwen tells her cousin.

"Why Gwen?"Ben asks in curiosity.

"Just wanted to see the look on your face." Gwen answers teasing Ben a bit.

Ben walks up to Gwen, kisses her on the cheek, goes and changes while Gwen does the same.

Max finally wakes up for whatever reason later than the young kids first did, after Ben and Gwen got ready for the day a few minutes later Max was ready for the day.

"Did you too get up before me?" Max asked the kids with a confused look that you would expect from someone that normally gets up before you.

"Yeah grandpa." Gwen answered "It must be that time for you."

"Oh no Gwen, old age hasn't caught up to me yet." Max responds with a perk in his voice as he starts up the Rustbucket then drives around New York City for a while.

"Let it sink in, you're in the top five biggest cities in the United States." Max informs the young kids.

"I wonder what kind of fun we can have here." Ben theorizes

"Probably a lot fun for both of us." was Gwen's answer to Ben's theory, knowing that New York City is lit up at night like Vegas in at certain nights.

Then the family finds themselves in a traffic jam, like New York some states have way too many cars on the road at one time, Max wasn't fazed at this but Ben and Gwen were not expecting a jam at all.

"Now that's bad traffic." Gwen remarked.

"It's New York traffic for you." Max replied.

"How long are we stuck in traffic?" Ben asked.

"Depends on the jam." was Max's answer.

After being stuck in the jam for about ten minutes, the jam is over, "Finally." said an impatient Ben.

"Even for that long, that has to be annoying." Gwen added

"Trust me, it is." Max agrees with his granddaughter's statement about traffic jams.

When Max stops the Rustbucket this time, he has pulled up to a hotel, this hotel was about medium sized, it was about one-eighth the size of a skyscraper and had bright paint colors on the outside and had balconies for anyone who wanted to look outside.

"Nice choice Grandpa." Ben says.

"Looks in order." Gwen says.

"This is where we will check into later today, how about a drive around town?" Max offered

Both Ben and Gwen nodded at once never thinking about what kind of sights they would see, Max drives the Rustbucket to life as they went out on the town for quite a while, seeing the Radio City Music Hall, driving down Broadway and of course seeing the Stock Market.

"This is awesome!" an ecstatic Ben exclaims as they drove around New York City, Gwen especially is enjoying herself as the Rustbucket continues touring around New York City looking around like a couple of kids on a sugar rush.

"Wait till a special surprise." Max says to the cousins, now their smiles widen.

"Where we're going?" Ben asked, Gwen just nodded with the question.

"Wait until later on." was Max's answer to Ben's question, both cousins seemed disappointed at the answer.

_A Few hours later..._

Max currently has Ben and Gwen each with a blindfold on them, earplugs were put in their ear to prevent them from hearing the boat engine that was taking them to the Statue of Liberty and preventing them from seeing the statue itself.

"Can we see where we're at now?" Complained an impatient Ben, Gwen if she could see would have already said something smart, or punch him at this point but due to having a blindfold on she decided not to do anything at all.

"Not yet." Was Max's answer, he wanted it to be a surprise for them both before they had to head back home for school, obviously he had wanted their summer to be one of their best summers that they ever had in a while.

Once Grandpa Max leads them to a certain spot for the two to stand on inside, then he takes out the earplugs off Ben and Gwen, then he tells them "You can take off the blindfolds now."

When the two take off the blindfolds they are in awe of what is in front of them, after a few moments of the two soaking it all in the first one to speak was Gwen.

"Are we-"

"In the Statue of Liberty." Max had confirmed while the kids look around in wonder and in awe, Ben finally says "Now, this is a surprise!"

"It's a surprise all right, why you didn't tell us about this?" Gwen asks Max in curiosity; Ben's obviously is too busy looking around the statue to notice Gwen talking and going to buy some souvenirs for her and Ben.

After a couple of hours touring the statue Gwen obviously had brought souvenirs evidenced by the three bags she currently has with her, most of it was mostly t-shirts and souvenirs that she gave one bag to Ben to keep with him while she gave Max the other bag.

The trio leaves the statue of liberty then after two hours of driving around New York, Max pulls up in front of the hotel that he had shown the kids previously in the day.

Since they had left the statue everyone is fatigue from the touring that they done around the biggest city they've seen, once Max gets everyone checked in for the night the trio goes into bed for night, Max had his own room a few doors down while Ben and Gwen had a room to themselves for the night.

End of chapter 17

A/N: I know it's been a while for me to update the story because I'm in college now, now I know that doing school work and continuing the story won't be easy but it can be done, one more thing; I'll be changing the story's rating to T eventually so bear with me for the time being and I appreciate the support.

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	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The last day of summer

Now that summer has drawn to a close it's been an adventurous and an interesting summer to say for everyone including the new couple of Ben and Gwen, however before Max dropped off either of them to their respective parents they had swore to never reveal their love for one another whatever the situation may be.

As everyone left the New York City hotel, it was so quiet in the Rustbucket that if one of them dropped something, they would hear it; Gwen was not only upset at summer ending but also sad to see Ben leaving knowing that in school he was miserable as it could get, to make matters worse he had bullies who had picked on him knowing Ben she decided to make her way towards a quiet Ben.

"We'll be in Bellwood tomorrow." Ben says to Gwen, Ben wasn't looking at Gwen for his own personal reasons, and then Gwen embraces Ben with her eyes closed as she held onto him tightly.

"I wished summer had never ended." Gwen confesses, her voice was breaking as then she started crying on Ben and his favorite shirt started to get wet above his heart as Gwen continued crying, "Don't worry, we'll see and hear from each other again." Ben states, to Gwen it sounded as he was making a promise, Gwen stops crying as her tear-stained face looks up to Ben as if he was so sure of himself, "How are you going to do that?" Gwen asks Ben.

"Here's how, you ask your folks if you can visit over the holidays like Christmas when we were younger and I'll do the same on my end."

Gwen simply just nods at Ben's words as the lovers embrace before Max would take him home, however Max has his own plans for the children, "Hey kids, how would you like to end your summer by going to the fair?" Max asks the two lovers, Ben and Gwen's heads each shot up as if they heard something loud and trying to figure out what decision to make since their own grandfather had offered them to go to the fair, the two had nodded their heads in agreement to their decision, maybe they wanted a little normal time together or just tired of fighting with their enemies as Max drives to the fair that was in town for a few days, to Ben it was nothing new, maybe it was who knows.

As everyone pulls up to the fair, Max then says something as if he was saying something important, "Alright you two, before you guys charge in there I just to tell you guys to have fun today as even through you'll be separated during the school year, I got you these." Max then gives the kids cell phones.

"Hey Grandpa?" Ben asked his grandfather.

"What?"

"Aren't we too young to have phones?" Gwen buts in, Ben turns to her as if she had stolen what Ben was going to say, luckily if they weren't together Ben would have probably hit her in the arm playfully at this point in time but decided not to do anything.

"For the average ten year old yes, but you Gwen are acting more mature compared to them, Ben however is the average for a ten year old boy." Max explains; all Gwen could do was crack a smirk at this information Max had explained to them.

"HA! I told you I was more mature." Gwen teases Ben, Max had an expressionless look on his face, Ben on the other was just as annoyed as the other times Gwen had rubbed something in his face, and obviously he was tired of coming in second compared to his cousin/lover.

"I'll show you who's more mature!" a frustrated Ben boasted to his lover, seeing Ben more motivated to do better probably would result in a better Ben but no one at the moment had an answer to the possible theory.

Then the two children run into that fair with reckless abandon obviously leaving their grandfather behind them, Max really thought for a moment there things had changed between them.

"It's either they're getting more energy, or it's me slowing down." He says to himself in amazement as he walks in front of where the kids supposedly had ran off to trying to make sure that they didn't get in trouble since he doesn't want to be left behind.

After a few hours of playing in that fair, obviously winning prizes, even Max went out of his way a bit and won some things, as everyone went into the Rustbucket to drop Ben off home.

"Looks like everyone was a winner tonight." Ben says in a happy manner, he had won himself a lion in one of those ring toss games, Max had also brought them three fair t-shirts.

"You should have seen me hit those bowling pins off the table, SMACK!" Gwen says in reply, obviously she was so happy winning a cute teddy bear that she actually had smacked Ben across the face accidentally, once she realizes what her hand had hit, she turns to Ben seeing him holding his cheek.

"Oh my God!" She cried out to attend to him, "Ben, I'm sorry."

"Sure, say sorry to the one thing she last expects to hit." Ben gritted from his teeth, when he removed his hands from his cheek it was painfully obvious to see where had Gwen hit him at it was red.

A minute later Gwen had gotten some ice as she puts it on his sore cheek, "I'm really sorry Ben, and I just want you to believe me." She says in a low voice, obvious to Max, she was sorry indeed while there was no input from him; Ben just grabs the ice pack she had put on his cheek and simply says "It's alright."

Seeing Ben like this was not what Gwen had wanted, it's true she felt bad for accidentally smacking him across the face, so to make it up to him she has an idea to make it up to him so she goes over and sits next to him, then Ben looks away from her.

"Ben." Ben ignored her calling him, Gwen however knowing she's not the giving up type, she did something that she thought she never have to do, she actually grabs him and turns him around resulting in Ben facing her directly and he knew this time that he was in for it rather he wanted out or not.

"Look at me, I said I'm sorry and if you don't stop being a jerk then-"Gwen was explaining until Ben had cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"I said it's alright, I was expecting some of the Gwen I fell in love with to smack me anyway." He explains, this resulted in Gwen suddenly embracing Ben in a vice-like hug that resulted in both of them falling to the floor and their faces met each other both of them obviously red as Ben's cheek was during that slap.

"Ben." Gwen says, obviously Ben can't stop looking at her.

"Yeah Gwen?"

"I said I'm-"Gwen was cut off by Ben's lips pressing against hers, as if Ben was telling her to shut up right then and there, it was a good way to tell her that she said too much already as the two continued to kiss for quite a while, Max didn't even pay attention to the make out session like he was ignoring their little kissing session.

The little make-out continued for about five minutes until Max stops at a house that has a dark red roof, white mostly all around with a path leading to the stairs; a sad grim look is on Gwen's face as she embraces Ben around his waist wanting him to stay before he leaves the Rustbucket with his stuff packed.

"Don't go Ben, please." Gwen pleaded desperately to him; she really had wanted to stay with him, "I'll skip school and I'll find a way to see you." When this was said Ben turns around surprised at what Gwen had just let slip out of her mouth, the Gwen he had to come and love was the caring straight A student; now he was wondering if leaving her like this was even a good idea.

"Gwen." Ben said in an almost pleading tone not wanting Gwen to be crying her eyes out, he wipes her tears in an assuring way while Gwen looked up at him. "Don't worry, we'll find a way."

"You promise?"

"Promise." And with that he leaves towards his house where his parents were waiting for him.

As Ben watches the Rustbucket out of sight, he couldn't help but shed a tear; if Gwen was acting up like that without him the thought of him without her would boggle his mind even though he isn't the brightest bulb of the bunch when he made a promise he had the intention of living up to that promise.

When the Rustbucket was out of sight, Max looked at the mirror and notices the hurtful look on Gwen's face, sighing and can't take the emotional pain he speaks up "You know you'll see each other again."

"Yeah." Gwen said half-heartedly, "You might be right."

"Cheer up; once your birthday passes you'll be able to-"Max stops himself for almost giving away some important information.

"Able to what?" Gwen asked now highly alert hearing after what Max had said.

"It's nothing." Max lied but he said it as if it was nothing to him, '_Almost gave it away, Looks like I'm going to have to be a bit more careful from here on out.'_

End of chapter 18

A/N: I know this chapter was longer than I originally planned it to be up there, registering for spring is annoying me like crazy, studying for finals has also cut in on my time as well and a lack of confidence almost stopped me from updating altogether. Now that I got some confidence back I'll try to update faster.

Read and Review!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Thanksgiving and remembering what happened at school

Since Ben and Gwen had returned to their respective homes and been going to school a lot has happened, Gwen had gotten A's in nearly every class which to Ben didn't surprise him at all however what surprised her was the fact that Ben got suspended from school for three days for fighting J.T. and Cash but those two got suspended for a month in September. Gwen was calling over Ben's house when she heard the news.

_Flashback in the middle of September….._

"_Ben!" Gwen yelled at him through the house phone, she had just heard that Ben was suspended from school, apparently he was fighting J.T. and Cash from what she knew because her aunt and uncle had called and told her._

"_What is it now, Gwen?" Ben asked; he wasn't in too good a mood since he was suspended; he was restricted to his room at this point and the kitchen as well as the bathroom since the suspension._

"_I heard that you had fought J.T. and Cash and all three of you got suspended, what on earth were you thinking?" Gwen was now apparently steamed at him, it was like Ben to get angry but at times it wasn't like him to take it out on someone else including J.T. and Cash._

"_Look they started with me first, that's why they're suspended for longer than I was; second I got tired of them anyway." Ben explains, this time he had a reason to snap at the two bullies; now he was trying not to snap at Gwen even through he was losing that internal battle._

"_You realized what you have done giving away your-"_

"_I didn't use the watch so calm down!" Ben had lost that battle, he had snapped at Gwen and there was silence for a couple of minutes until Ben heard Gwen crying from her end and she had hung up, it had hit him as a punch from Kevin would have told him that he made a mistake and not no little mistake. This one was a big mistake._

_End flashback…_

Since that day Ben really wasn't looking forward to thanksgiving because he knew that Gwen is coming despite the messages he left saying how sorry he was for snapping at her but she never called back since that day.

Now a couple months later things at school for Ben has gotten a little better for him; his grades had improved but in his view would never reach up to Gwen's grades but he realized that he shouldn't shoot that high.

Gwen obviously hasn't called him back since Ben had snapped at her, if his memory served him right if Gwen was coming to the thanksgiving party he thought to the worst case scenario was going to happen when she came or if she came to talk to him at all.

"From the way I snapped at her, there's no denying it. She'll dump me." Ben says softly in a low depressed voice, as he laid there waiting for Gwen to come and lay it on him.

A few hours later noise can be heard downstairs as the family gathering for thanksgiving, what Ben doesn't realize is that Gwen had just arrived, wearing a blue shirt along with a light blue skirt that goes down to her knees wondering where Ben was since he wasn't downstairs she decided to see if he was in his room as she went up the stairs Ben's heart begins to race as he hears footsteps on the stairs but he doesn't know that Gwen is headed towards his room until a soft knock snaps him out of his thoughts.

"Ben?" Gwen says from behind the door but Ben doesn't answer her, wondering why Ben wouldn't answer her she opens the door and finds that his room was surprisingly clean, no bad smells at all and Ben was on the bed obviously staring at the ceiling as if he was waiting for her.

Ben then sits up realizing that Gwen had entered the room with an upset sad voice says "Just get it over with."

"Huh?" Gwen now is confused at Ben wondering why he said such a thing to her, whatever happened to Ben had to affect his brain in the negative way. "What are you talking about?"

Ben now is looking at Gwen's confused face, "Gwen, get it over with." He says obviously tired of waiting on her to respond.

"Just say that you're dumping me." Now it was Gwen's turn to change from confused to shocked on why Ben would think of something like that in the first place "Now why would you say that?"

"Well I snapped over the phone for starters, I got suspended from school and lately I have been becoming a bit reckless with my anger so just say it." Ben says, a part of him is happy that is off his chest but a part of him feels guilty saying that, maybe cause he was going through puberty now that him and Gwen had changed a little since the summer; Ben had grown a couple of inches since school had started, his hair had slowly grew a little longer than it was during the summer. Gwen had only grown a inch which to her surprise, her hair didn't grow at all during the short time away from each other; probably the most obvious change in Gwen was that her breasts were starting to develop (A/N: might have gone to a rating T if I foresaw this.) "No." Gwen answered "I'm not leaving you Ben and I don't know why you think that anyway."

"It's just, when I think of how I screwed up it was painfully obvious to me at the time." Ben says but he definitely wasn't cheery as Gwen knew by how low his voice was.

"Sure you may have snapped at me over the phone, you may have been suspended from school but you are taking this too hard on yourself. I forgive you but you have to stop this or you won't be able to defeat anyone else next time and that includes Cash."

Ben took in Gwen's words and let those sink in for a moment, then he stands up and passionately kissed Gwen on the lips which Gwen had accepted but only for a moment before hearing something downstairs.

"All right mister, no use being a bit frisky but we need to drag you downstairs before anyone gets any funny ideas." Gwen says and Ben knew that she was serious and there was no way to turn off the seriousness once it appeared.

"Okay, we'll go." Ben says and with that the two head downstairs where Max and Ben's parents were waiting for the both of them to come downstairs and enjoy their thanksgiving as a family. Once downstairs the two enjoyed their thanksgiving dinner consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread and biscuits.

Once everyone had their fill to eat it was time for everyone to say what they thankful for this Thanksgiving.

"So Ben, what are you thankful?" Max asked, he knew that inside Ben would have been thankful of Gwen but he had no intention to say that in anyway.

"Well, I say friends and family. Don't forget loved ones." He answered as his parents weren't looking he winked at Gwen causing her cheeks to tinge a bit pink.

"I'm thankful for grandchildren." Max answered but as soon as he said it he had beaming faces from Ben and Gwen.

"Well, I'm thankful for not only my wife but for family as well." Ben's father Carl says, a man in his mid 30's; a kind man with a laid back persona. He has dark brown hair, brown eyes and an above average build.

"Aww, that's sweet of you dear." Ben's mother Sandra says as she plants a kiss on his cheek causing him to chuckle in an embarrassing way, a woman in her early 30's; a kind woman but not as laid back as Carl but she knew when to get serious. She has blonde hair, emerald green eyes that were similar to Ben and Gwen's eyes but hers was a little darker than both Ben and Gwen's eyes.

"Well, there's no need to say mine because everyone is here." Sandra says, and then a moment later everyone gets their food for what could be possibly have been the best thanksgiving in a long time as the family gets their fill of the food in front of them once everyone had their fill it was time for Max to take Gwen back home to her family as she threw a wink at Ben before she leaves.

Since the dinner, Ben could feel his legs were heavy as if weights were keeping him on the floor as he bedded his parents good night as he headed to his room and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hits the pillow.

End of chapter 19

A/N: I wanna wish everyone who currently reads this or has me on my list a happy new year! This is the start of 2011! Read and Review


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: A happy New Year!

Since Thanksgiving come and gone for Ben his behavior had improved dramatically as well as his grades, they weren't as high as Gwen's but they were high enough for him as he was celebrating New Year's with Gwen and Max of course due to his parents being out of town.

"Man I'm so pumped for the new year!" Ben says as he has his fist in the air, tonight would be the first celebration of New Year's with his grandfather and his girlfriend while his parents were not around; they told his grandfather that they were going to celebrate with some friends and thought it would be a good idea to spend some time with his grandfather and cousin unknowingly his girlfriend.

"Calm down Ben, it's only a few hours away." Max says to his grandson, even though Ben was excited about the New Year celebration Max couldn't help himself noticing that he seen a bit of his youth days in Ben; '_guess that same trait I had he now possesses.' _ Max thought noticing that Ben may end up like him but that'll be In the future to dwell on.

A moment later Max comes in with a box loaded with decorations, he puts it down and the next thing everyone hears is Max holding his back in pain after putting down the box.

"Grandpa!" Gwen cried out as her and Ben run to him to see if he's okay, Max manages to sit down thanks to Ben and Gwen helping him move. "What happened?"

"Cramp." Max grits out in pain, he hadn't feel a pain this bad since his days as a plumber all those years ago when alien fighting was at it's highest point in that time but like any other story he never talked about it even though it was clear when Ben first got the Omnitrix.

"Let me just sit for a few moments, until then I can trust you two putting up the New Year decorations right?" Max requested, Ben nods at the question while Gwen gets him an ice pack for his cramp at the moment while also bringing him a bottle of water for him.

A moment later Ben and Gwen worked on where Max was about to begin decorating the Rustbucket exterior, in case they needed any supplies Ben got a little step ladder for the higher parts of the RV as they decorate the Rustbucket for the New Year.

Ben obviously looked at the back of the Rustbucket that they started to decorate for the New Year, the Rustbucket's paint started to peel away due to the conditions it went through over time; actually neither Ben or Gwen knew when Max first got it but they knew not only he took good care of the Rustbucket but the two were actually impressed on how Max kept it in working condition throughout time but from their adventures as well.

"I never noticed that Grandpa kept this thing in good shape." Ben says to himself, he was unaware that Gwen had heard him as she was cleaning the top of the Rustbucket thanks to the ladder that Ben got for her a moment ago.

As Ben cleaned the back of the Rustbucket, Gwen got down from cleaning the top; her hair seemed to be out of control evidenced by her out of control hair as at some ends of her hair, noticing what Ben was staring at her as she smoothes it down with her hands maintaining the look she had before it got out of control.

"What happened?" was all Ben could manage to say, well he had to admit that was better than what is instincts told him to say.

All Gwen did was look at him and says "You don't want to know." Ben decided not to push the hair issue any further because he knew when it came to girls don't start them if they're hair is out of control because it ends up bad for the guy nine times out of ten.

As they're finish decorating the Rustbucket, they seemed satisfied with their work as the Rustbucket had "Happy New Year" on the top of it, various decorations that was found in the Rustbucket as Ben and Gwen go in to help Max they discover that Max is able to stand up but decide to limit him to drive when it was time to go not wanting him to be tired as it was now twenty minutes away from the ball drop.

"Oh I can't wait for this!" Gwen exclaimed like a little girl going to a candy store, Ben looked at Gwen since she was acting so cheery but since they didn't have school for a while it was best felt to let it slide for the holidays.

"I know Gwen, this'll be fun." Ben says trying to calm her down but with little success, as time went on everyone started to get antsy for the ball drop, as time went on minutes seem like hours to them as the ball finally started to drop.

"10….9….8….7…" everyone says as it counts down for the New Year, "6…5….4…3…2…1...Happy New Year!" as Ben hugged his grandfather he felt a tug on his shirt as he turned from his grandfather and there waiting for him was the lips of his girlfriend/cousin as the two embrace for a few minutes looking at the party that was shown in New York City.

"New Year, new memories to make." Ben tells Gwen as they continue to party for an hour until Max decided it was time to turn himself into bed.

As Gwen laid herself on the top of the bunk bed feeling extremely worn down decided to check on Ben one last time. "Ben?" she called out, no answer.

"Ben?" Again no answer from Ben.

Gwen then looked at her lover's bunk as she peeked down and she finds that Ben had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, '_aww, how cute.' _ Gwen thought at the sight of him asleep. "Well he has the right idea." Gwen sleepily says as she lies down as she gets comfortable as she drifted off to sleep similar to how Ben did as everyone was asleep for the night.

End of Chapter 20

A/N: Semester has started! Bitter-sweet moment for me cause I probably won't have time to update the story, I started another story in case I update late for my fanfic and I apologize to my fans if I don't.

.net/s/6682486/1/A_New_Journey The new story I started. Read and Review both!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Summer vacation is here again!

It was just another last day of school for Ben as he eyed the clock with anticipation of having another summer with his grandfather and his secret lover as the clock said 2:58.

"Great, only two more minutes." Ben said trying to hide in his anxiety of no school til the fall, even though he wasn't the best student when it came to school let alone math; he seemed to get through of it no matter how bad it seemed for him. He had done enough for himself to pass on to the next grade but he chuckled a smile when he thought of Gwen.

'_Knowing her, she's already in the next grade guaranteed.' _He thought to himself.

Suddenly the bell ringed, his class cheered with excitement as Ben simply grabbed his things and blended into the crowd. He didn't want to overdo the excitement so he got lost in it as the hallway seemed to be too small for him as he was being squeezed struggling to get through.

'_Great, pressured into the middle.' _Ben thought to himself as he continued trying to get through to the exit, as he struggled it appeared he was slowing getting himself out but it was a hassle but he managed to get through, once out he looked around as kids were going to buses and rides running amok until a voice is heard that has Ben's attention.

"Ben! Over here!" Ben looked to where the voice was coming from, he sees his grandfather motioning him to come on over as he stood outside his RV. Ben smiled immediately and ran over to his grandfather as the two embrace one another.

"Hey Grandpa, bored again?" Ben asked in an joking manner, Grandpa Max however could only laugh at his grandson's humor. "Nope, but you're traveling with me this summer again."

"Sounds great, let's get Gwen then." Ben says anxiously.

"Good, but you're forgetting something." Max says to him, now this has Ben confused as he looked at him wondering what he could have forgotten.

"You're forgetting to ask your parents and you're bags." Max tells him seeing how confused Ben really was as he looked at him.

"Well then, let's get started then." Ben said as he goes inside the RV, he noticed that it has changed a bit since he seen it last. It has new couch and it has been updated with some new technology as everything was updated but the outside appearance hasn't changed much at all as it stayed the same.

"Been working on the Rustbucket again?" Ben asked noticing that the furniture was new as he took in his surroundings, surely nothing much changed but other than the furniture noting how old fashioned Grandpa Max was.

"Uh-huh, since we came close way too many times for my liking I thought it would be best if I had updated the Rustbucket while you two were in school. I must admit it was a hassle but worth it."

Ben raised an eyebrow at this but smiled at this knowing Max had nothing much to do around the summer but never forced the issue.

"Knowing Gwen, she's already passed her exams and getting ready for us." Ben points out as Max already nodded at this as he continued driving towards Gwen's house as Ben takes a seat and pictures of all the adventures the two could have while enjoying the summer vacation but in the meantime Gwen is preparing for Grandpa Max's arrival as she packs her usual along with some new ones as well. Since she last saw Ben and her Grandfather Max her longer has gotten a silkier feeling to it but stayed the same length as she waits for the Rustbucket to arrive.

'_Another summer with Grandpa and Ben, I wonder how much Ben changed since I seen him last.' _ Gwen thought as she pictures Ben a year later. _'Maybe he's starting to get taller or maybe his hair is starting to grow, who knows.' _A sudden loud horn snaps her out of her thoughts as she looks up and sees the Rustbucket.

"Grandpa! Ben!" Gwen says excitedly running to the both of them and gave them both a loving hug as it seemed her grip has gotten stronger since she last saw them.

"How you been?" Ben asked while the two of them began taking a mental picture of one another as they looked at one another.

"I've been fine as usual, it seems Ben here has managed without me." Gwen says making a note while sliding in a insult at him if he would have gotten the picture.

"Well I have-" Ben stops as he listened to Gwen's last comment. "Are you saying I couldn't make it one school year without you? I have before." Ben shot back as Gwen smiled smugly at him knowing even though they were together some things would never change between them.

Grandpa Max only smiled and shook his head as he drove on the open road knowing of their antics and the possibility of another great summer.

End of chapter 21

A/N: I know it's been too long, but it's not easy to keep going when you have to juggle family and school when it's 50/50. I'm going to keep working at this for everyone that likes this story.

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	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Trouble in Kansas, storm makes it's way!

The Tennyson's first stop on their summer vacation was none other than Wichita, Kansas. Ben looked around and seen that it was a nice looking place however something didn't sit right with either Gwen or Ben as they seem to notice some houses were being covered up entirely as houses were being boarded up from the outside as Max notices but says nothing of it as he pulls up to a gas station to full up the Rustbucket.

"Something isn't right here wherever we are." Ben says earning a roll of the eyes from Gwen as she takes a map from her bag and shows him where they currently were.

"We're in Kansas ya doofus." she says in an obvious but yet serious tone as he looked at the map.

"Yeah yeah, thanks for the reminder miss right." he says in a bitter tone as he looked at the map and then at her feeling frustrated as then he didn't look back at Gwen as he studied the map.

"Thought you would have seen we were in Kansas by now." Gwen commented noting Ben's lack of eyesight as they entered Kansas not too long ago.

"I didn't see the sign, I was focused on something else." Ben countered as he folded the map back up and puts it away returning to his seat as he pulled out a gameboy and played it.

"Like what?" Gwen asked eying him as he eventually felt her gaze on him.

"None of your business." Ben says stoically as he just plays his gameboy not bothering to look at her and focuses on his game, Gwen just rolls her eyes taking the map as she sits down. She notices that Ben has been his normal self at times and other times he seemed distant in thought as she thought about it more, she worries that Ben is keeping something from her but the question is what is he keeping from her and why?

'_Ben..Are you keeping a secret from me? And why have you been distant from me?' _Gwen thought feeling conflicted and sad inside, she needed him by her side right now as she sheds a tear as she couldn't bear the thought of him keeping something from her as Ben noticed Gwen sitting by herself with the map on her lap. He wondered if there was something she was thinking about as she sat there, curious to know he puts the gameboy down and sits next to her.

"Gwen, is something wrong?" Ben asked noting the look on her face as he seen a trail of a tear down her cheek.

"Hmm?" she perked up wiping her eyes and looking at him as she seemed ready to look at him but inside a part of her wanted to ask if he was keeping a secret but decided to see where this conservation will go. "There's nothing wrong with me, why you ask?" Gwen says in an attempt to deflect the question that Ben had asked her.

"Two reasons, one you were crying." he says poking her cheek to indicate where he had seen the trail mark as she knocked his hand away gently but with force.

"I'm not crying." She says but Ben already knows he's got her which doesn't happen too often at all by his standards.

"Yes you were, and two you were staring at the map for at least ten minutes. You normally look at the map and then give it back to me or put it back." he counters bringing up her tendencies, she playfully punches him in the shoulder knowing he had won this time. "You got me, I'm just worried if you were hiding something."

"Hide something from you?" I wouldn't do that you know." He says assuring her as he gave her a quick hug to let her know he's there.

By the time the two had finished their conservation to sit in the back Max had already filled up the Rustbucket and began driving much to the children's curiosity as they looked outside at the scenery.

"Grandpa, just where are we going to see?" Gwen asks breaking the short silence between the drive as Ben looked at Gwen as he peered his attention to her instead of the scenery outside as his grandfather continued on driving.

"To see an old co-worker of mine, he told me that something weird was going on in the town as of late."

"And what do you mean by that?" Ben asked as Max informed them both of what was happening around town.

"I mean isn't it odd that knights are showing up here?" Max questioned, the duo looked befuddled at the question but decided to answer it anyway.

"It's odd that there isn't no modern festival for those freaks." Ben taunts but quiets right away when Gwen threw a mean look at him letting him now isn't the time to be joking.

"Surely it is odd, are they in a group or something?" Gwen wondered in an questioning way looking at Max as he thought about it for a moment.

"We have reason to believe that, but we don't know as of right now." Max confirmed as he seemed to be in thought now about these knights, he knew from his friend that they showed up around last week but now seem to be a bit late to mention it to him but he had to wait for school to be over if he was going to take Ben and Gwen along with him.

"But we're almost to his home anyway." Max noted as he seen a house on the way to what it seem to be downtown Wichita as he gradually stopped at a red and white house that seem pretty ordinary with a driveway as he pulled up and parked in it.

"Who is this guy anyway?" Ben asked.

"Nate is his name, you'll be meeting him soon." Max answered as everyone got out and walked up to his door as Max rung the doorbell, a moment later a man opens the door and appears to be Nate as he recognized Max noting the smile on his face as he shook his hand as the two long time friends greet one another.

"Max, it's been ages!" Nate says giving Max a hug that said 'I missed you best friend.'

"Nate, how's my partner been holding up?" Max says looking at his best friend, they seem slimliar but with some differences. Nate withstood the test of time as he stayed in great shape as Max and the duo walk in but they also noticed that Nate hasn't lost much of his youth yet compared to Max who has put on some weight during their last appearance from the plumbers but still had the vitality of a man in their 30's.

"Well I've been blessed with grandchildren who love adventures and I've been traveling with them for the past year now but they are having fun, anything new in your neck of the woods Nate?" Max explained to his best friend and comrade as he explained his time away from the old days as former plumber agents.

"Well Max I couldn't be happier for you with your grandchildren having so much fun traveling." Nate said as he went over to the window and boarded up the window leaving Ben confused at this, he noticed the same thing happening around town. Was something going on? He had to find out what.

"Yeah sounds like fun, but what's everyone doing?"

"The sheets? Well we're covering and boarding up for now." Nate answered while boarding up a window as Gwen and Ben noted that he only used two nails in the ends of the board.

'_Maybe he did that to make it easier...or whatever.'_ Ben thought not really interested in what Nate was doing as he looked around seeing obvious pictures of him along with family and he looked at a picture with some interest, it was him and a little girl on his lap holding up a fish she caught as she was smiling brightly.

'_Maybe that's his granddaughter.'_ Ben thought not even aware of Gwen sneaking up on him and scaring him with a "BOO!"

"Gwen!" he jumped up as Gwen laughed at him being scared of her antics as he turned to her not amused one bit. "That's not funny at all you know!"

"You're right...It's was awesome!" she laughed harder despite a scowling Ben glaring at her as she sits downin a chair slowing down from the lack of air she laughed out as all Ben could do was look at her, and a grin came on his face knowing he'll get her as he leaves her laughing.

After a while Gwen gradually calmed down laughing as she wipes a tear from her eye as she went looking for Ben.

"Ben? Ben where are you?" she called out wondering where he could have gone as she searched the house, coming up unsuccessful she knew the only place he would have to hide would be the Rustbucket as she ran outside and into the RV as she locked the door behind her.

_'I got you now Benny boy.'_ Gwen thought with a small hint of a blush on her face as it subsided as she looked for him as she checked the bunk beds not successful in finding him.

"Ben, where is he?" she asked no one in particular as she went and checked the front of the Rustbucket as she felt hands tickling her sides as she jumped forward into the seats hearing a famliar laugh as she looked up as she experienced a bit of rage but also felt happy seeing Ben laughing at her being spooked by such a small action.

"Hahaha, it's about time you showed up!" Ben says while laughing as Gwen was red in the face unknown to him as she sat there in disbelief.

"Wha..? You little..!" Gwen sounded as if she was going to do something worse to him as she got a plan and went in action quickly and lunged forward tickling him as a tickle war ensued between them as the war went to the front of the Rustbucket as Gwen's foot had turned on the radio unknowingly as she couldn't help laughing as she tried to get Ben to stop tickling her.

"Ben...Ben stop please..I can't..I can't take it.." Gwen pleaded while running out of breath as the radio soon got their attention.

"_Breaking news in Kansas, a tornado is on the way. Everyone better take shelter, espically those in RV's as the storm is set to arrive in an hour. Repeat, tornado to arrive in one hour." _The radio reporter said as Ben not only stopped tickling Gwen but she noticed concern for not only her and Grandpa Max, but everyone else that possibly didn't hear that.

"Ben?" Gwen says shaking him out of a possible trance as he soon snapped out of it and replying with "Hmm?"

"Come on, let's warn everyone else." and with that she took his hand and went to warn Nate.

End of chapter 22

Holy crap this chapter took longer than I thought! After hitting a depression from internal affairs I completely forgot about the fanfiction, I'm not 100% yet and my guess is I'm around 80 to 85 at the most. I apologize for the long delay.


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